The Lark's Lullaby
by aims80
Summary: **COMPLETED** BOOK TWO! Cary and Melody are now married and have a daughter, but that doesn't mean life is going to go smoothly. What is going to happen? Please R&R.
1. Prologue

[A/N. This is the sequel to my first VC Andrews fanfic, "The blackbird's ballet." If you haven't read my first one I don't think it really matters at this stage! Anyway, on with the story, enjoy! Also if anyone could tell me how to format stories so words written in bold and italics come out as such I'd be very grateful!]  
  
  
  
PROLOGUE:  
  
I was sitting in the lounge room when the labor pains began. At first I ignored them- after all Holly'd had false labor pains when her son, Nelson, was born five months ago. But eventually I realised that there was nothing false about these pains! I struggled into the kitchen to press the button on the intercom Cary had recently installed between the house and his workshop as he so proudly called it.  
  
"CARY?" I cried.  
  
"Melody, is there anything wrong?" Cary's concerned voice came back over the intercom.  
  
"Nothing much, apart from the fact that I'm in labor." I said.  
  
"I'll be right there!"  
  
About twenty minutes later we were speeding to the hospital in the back of an ambulance with me squeezing Cary's hand every time I had a contraction and him imploring me to remember my breathing exercises. But all thoughts of exercises had vanished from my mind the moment the pains started. Over the last few months I'd been worrying that the baby was Billy's not Cary's and now I just wanted to get the birth over with so I'd know. When we arrived at the hospital I was swiftly transferred to a bed in the labor ward where I remained for almost three hours until my baby was born. Cary was with me the entire time, and to his credit he looked as though he was in as much pain as I was!  
  
The nurse held the baby up to show us. "You've got a beautiful baby girl." She said with a smile.  
  
I turned to Cary and he kissed me on the forehead. "She's perfect." He declared. "Our little Lara." We'd long ago decided if we had a girl she'd be named in honor of Cary's dead twin sister Laura, but we also thought to burden a small child with the name of a dead relative was wrong, and therefore we'd changed it slightly to Lara instead of Laura.  
  
"She is perfect isn't she?" I replied as the nurse handed her to me.  
  
"Wait till Ma and May see her. They'll go crazy. Women always do when it comes to babies." Cary said making a face.  
  
"Something tells me they won't be the only ones spoiling her Cary Logan." I replied with a laugh.  
  
Cary gave me a sheepish grin.  
  
It was only later, when Lara and I were alone, that I studied her intently. To my eyes she looked more like Billy than Cary, but I knew that wasn't something concrete to work on. And, I told myself for the hundredth time, no matter who was her father, Lara Logan's DAD would be Cary Logan. 


	2. My brother's admiration

ONE:  
  
I went into town to do some shopping about a month after Lara's birth. I was pushing her in her pram and she was silently taking in everything. On more than one occasion I was stopped by someone wanting to have a look at her. Most remarked on how happy she seemed.  
  
"Yes," I'd agree. "She's a happy baby, and she's such a good baby too. You can give her a rattle or something and she'll sit and play with it for ages. Cary's convinced this patience is a sign of how smart she's going to be."  
  
They'd laugh, and ask whether there was going to be another valedictorian in the family?  
  
"If Cary's got anything to do with it there will be." I'd reply.  
  
I stopped and looked in the window of one of the gift shops. It had occurred to me the other day that I should start collecting something for Lara. Not something she could play with as such, but rather something she could collect and be proud of. Back in Sewell when I was growing up my best friend Alice had been the proud owner of many ceramic, glass and even crystal, horses. Of varying shapes and sizes, and in different poses they'd sat proudly on a few shelves in her room. When I'd commented on them the first time I was over at her place she explained how her mother had bought her the first one when she was only a baby, and how the collection had grown from there. "And," she'd confided to me with a laugh. "I don't even really like horses." Every time I was there after that my gaze would always wander to those horses a little jealously. Not so much because I wanted them, but more because her mother had thought to do something like that for her in order to show her love and my mother hadn't. Maybe even back then I realised a little how selfish my own mother could be?  
  
"Hello Melody." A voice near me said, making me jump.  
  
"You startled me," I said with a laugh, turning round to see who it was. But then my laugh died on my mouth when I saw who it was. Adam Jackson.  
  
"Well don't look so happy to see me." Adam complained. "There was a time not that long ago when you were certainly a lot happier to see me."  
  
I itched to smack his arrogant smirk off his face. "Shouldn't you be back in college by now?" I asked instead. It was October already, how fast the last month had gone!  
  
"I should be." Adam admitted. "But I'm taking the year off. I didn't do so good last year and I thought some time off might help me. My parents have offered to pay for me to go to Europe."  
  
"Well why aren't you there?" I asked.  
  
Adam frowned, but then smiled again. "You sound like you want to get rid of me." He said a little petulantly.  
  
"Wherever did you get that idea from?" I asked sarcastically, and he threw back his head laughing.  
  
"Now I know what attracted me to you Melody. That wonderful sense of humor." He said.  
  
I felt my face redden a little. The thought of that night on the beach where I possibly could have willingly given myself to Adam if I hadn't gotten sick, and if Cary hadn't arrived to save me embarrassed me greatly. I had honestly believed that Adam Jackson was interested in me, not just in another notch on his belt.  
  
He must have noticed my blush. "Are you thinking about how close we were Melody?" Adam asked leaning closer to me. Do you remember the day I took some photos of you on the boat? Well I've still got those photos Melody. Sometimes I get them out to look at."  
  
I moved back, away from him. "Do you do the same for the photos of your other sister?" I asked sharply.  
  
Adam's face paled. "I hate my father for that." He said. "If he had of been able to keep his pants on-"  
  
"-Adam!" I interrupted shocked.  
  
"Well if he had we'd have been able to be together. I've never met anyone like you Melody." Adam said.  
  
I was shocked at the intensity of his words, and decided that the only way to stop him was to be hard. "We'd never have been together Adam Jackson." I told him. "You didn't know how to treat me. All I was to you was another conquest."  
  
"That's not true Melody." Adam whined. "The only reason the girls told you that was because they were jealous of you. They didn't want you to be with me so they made up lies to make you hate me. And they worked didn't they?"  
  
He looked so forlorn then that I actually felt sorry for him. "I don't hate you." I said simply. "I just don't love you. And don't forget you're my brother."  
  
My words sparked him up a bit and he smiled again. A calculating smile this time as he said "Nobody knows we're related. We could be together and nobody would say anything."  
  
"Your father knows." I reminded him. "Do you think he'd just stand by and say nothing?"  
  
"We'd run away. Us and baby Lara. Beginning a new life." Adam said, and his eyes took on the dreamy expression one gets when one is imaging things. My heart began to beat a little faster.  
  
"Adam let me remind you not only are we half-brother and sister, but I am also married to Cary whom I love more than anyone in this world." I said, and I maneuvered the pram, deciding that collecting porcelain dolls for Lara could begin another day.  
  
But Adam caught hold of the pram. "Melody, I don't think you understand." He implored me.  
  
Even though his attitude was concerning me I acted brave. "No Adam I don't think you do. Let go of the pram. I've got to go home." I said.  
  
"Melody, please." Adam begged.  
  
"Adam, let me go." I said sharply. "You've got to realise that there can never be anything between us, even if I wanted that- which I don't!"  
  
"I can't love anyone else. Even when I'm making love to another woman all I see is your image in my mind." Adam told me. "I was going steady with a woman at college, I still am. Our parents think we should get married- since we'd be a perfect match. She's rich and proper and boring. I look at her, and she's plain and boring, and I can only think of you. When she kisses me I'm really kissing you."  
  
Now I was beginning to get creeped out by Adam's comments. "Adam, you're going to have to let go." I said, trying to vainly to move the pram onwards, but Adam's grip was strong.  
  
"No." He said simply.  
  
I stared at him, wondering whether it would be at all possible for me to simply hit him and run. People were out and about in the town, but they didn't know what was going on here. They probably assumed two old schoolfriends were simply catching up! And then my savior appeared- the last person I had ever expected to be my savior.  
  
"Melody. Adam." Mr. Jackson said, walking over. His eyes took in the way Adam was holding the pram, and the expression of relief on my face. "Adam I thought you were just going to post the letter for Francis and then get back to the office. We've got a lot to get through today and you're meant to be helping me."  
  
"I posted it. Melody and I were just having a chat." Adam said, staring at his father with some defiance.  
  
"In that case perhaps you could get back to the office. There's no way you're going to be able to get away to Europe to meet Francis on time if we don't get the work done you promised to help with." Mr. Jackson said.  
  
Adam hesitated for a moment and then he smiled at me. "See you around Melody." He said before walking away.  
  
Mr. Jackson watched him walk off before turning back to me. I took a few deep breaths relieved that Adam had left. "Did he bother you?" Mr. Jackson asked, seeming concerned.  
  
"Remember I asked one favor from you Mr. Jackson?" I replied. "And that was to keep your son away from me. Please do that in the future."  
  
"He's a stubborn one." Mr. Jackson said with a sigh. "I know he admires Francis, but he doesn't love her. He certainly doesn't feel for her what he feels for you. Even though I repeatedly remind him you're his sister." Why was he honestly telling me his troubles?  
  
I wanted to tell Mr. Jackson that Adam had never seemed to feel anything for me, at least nothing more than as another notch on his belt, but I didn't. Instead I said, "Please make sure he leaves me, and indeed my family, alone Mr. Jackson."  
  
Mr. Jackson nodded. "I'll make sure of it." He promised.  
  
"Thank you. Goodbye." I said formally.  
  
"Goodbye Melody." He replied with another sigh.  
  
It was only after I was out of his sight that I allowed myself to shake. The encounter with Adam had shaken me more than I was willing to admit. However by the time I returned home I was feeling a lot calmer and Cary had no idea that something had bothered me whilst in town. 


	3. The Christening

TWO:  
  
"She's such a cute baby!" Aunt Sara said as she played with Lara's tiny fingers. It was the day before Lara's christening and we were over at Aunt Sara's place. Lara wrapped a hand around Aunt Sara's finger and closed her eyes to sleep contentedly.  
  
"I think that should be the other way round- she's the one who's got you wrapped around HER little finger." Cary commented with a grin. I glanced at him out of the corner of my eye. Ever since Lara's birth five weeks ago he'd been spending more time at home and with us than in the workshop. I was a little concerned that this might be bad for the business but Cary assured me it was a slow period coming into the winter months. Personally though, I thought he would have told me anything to make sure I didn't object to him spending all his time with us. And when I watched the look on his face when he spoke to, or played with, Lara I couldn't say a word. My fears that Lara wasn't really Cary's baby had not diminished. In fact one afternoon May had got up and then come back with a huge photo album which not only had baby photos of her, Cary and Laura in it, but also her parents and Grandma Olivia and Grandpa Samuel. She'd flipped through it, occasionally glancing over at Lara before signing to me that nobody looked anything like Lara. Aunt Sara had laughed and explained that babies don't always look like their parents, and then added Lara could very well look like my parents, or me. I breathed a sigh of relief at Aunt Sara's words; if anyone even suspected that Lara might not be Cary's daughter I didn't know what I'd do.  
  
"I hate to be argumentative, but she's certainly not the only one who's wrapped around Lara's finger." I said with a grin.  
  
Cary looked sheepish, but he knew I was right. Not that I was complaining; in my opinion a daughter needed both parents and the fact that Cary practically worshipped Lara made me smile with happiness.  
  
"It's nice to have another Laura in the family." Aunt Sara said, a soft smile on her face.  
  
Cary and I exchanged glances and he leant forward towards his mother to say gently "Ma, its Lara, not Laura."  
  
"I know." Aunt Sara replied. "But I know that it's to represent Laura, and look, she's even as good a baby as Laura was. Its almost like god has given us another chance."  
  
I took a deep breath. Even though Aunt Sara had seemed better for a long time and now only occasionally saw the psychiatrist and had been weaned off the pills, that kind of comment gave me shivers. I didn't want her to regress and end up getting even worse than she had been before! Maybe calling Lara after Laura wasn't the right thing to do after all.  
  
"Ma," Cary said patiently. "Don't say things like that. You know perfectly well Lara is Melody and mine's baby, and therefore god is not giving anyone a second chance."  
  
"I am completely aware of that Cary Logan. All I meant was that it was nice to have another baby in the family." Aunt Sara said getting up. "Does anyone want another drink? Or perhaps another one of my special muffins?"  
  
"No thanks Ma, we better be getting home. We've got a big day tomorrow." Cary said, and he stood up too. He reached over to pick up Lara's basket and she opened her eyes to gurgle at him. "She's going to look so sweet in that dress you made for her Ma."  
  
"Yes Aunt Sara," I echoed. "It's wonderful. When Holly saw it she said she was jealous that she hadn't thought to ask you to make something for Nelson's christening the other month. She made do with something she bought!"  
  
Aunt Sara pursed her lips briefly. "Well at least she didn't stick him in something covered in moons and stars or what have you." She said.  
  
Cary and I both laughed at the image.  
  
As we drove home I commented on whether we were doing the right thing having called Lara after Laura. "I don't want Aunt Sara to have problems with it." I said.  
  
Cary nodded. "The same thing occurred to me, but I thought at the same time that I wanted to call her that for Laura. And even though she might have freaked us out a bit for a moment back in there, it was nothing to worry about- she's not regressing or anything."  
  
"I can't help but worry." I said, leaning my head against the car window and staring at.  
  
"Don't I know it." Cary teased me. "Honestly Melody I think if you had nothing to worry about you'd probably worry about the fact that there was nothing to worry about."  
  
I had to laugh.  
  
*****  
  
The next morning was a beautiful day despite the fact that it was the beginning of November and the weather had been growing steadily colder. I looked out the window of Lara's nursery with a smile. For a moment I wondered whether Laura and Uncle Jacob up in heaven, or wherever they were, were giving us their support but then I shook my head. I didn't believe in that kind of thing.  
  
When we arrived at the church where the christening was to be held I was surprised to see so many people there. Holly, Kenneth, and the two Nelsons were there and they were the first to hurry over to greet us all.  
  
"Look at how much she's grown in so little time." Holly said, peering at Lara who was wrapped in a blanket and being carried proudly in May's arms. "I keep meaning to come over more so Nelson and Lara can get used to each other but things have been so hectic lately."  
  
"I know." I said with a laugh. "I never seem to find the time to do half the things I want to do lately."  
  
"Jacob would be proud of my little great-granddaughter eh Sara?" The judge asked.  
  
Aunt Sara looked thoughtful and was silent for a moment before replying. "Yes," She finally agreed. "Yes he would. You remember what he was like when Cary and Laura were born. He was always very proud of his little girl. So of course he'd be just as proud of his granddaughter."  
  
"We better get into the church. If we're not careful the ceremony will begin with out the guest of honor." Cary said, and we all walked in. May was to be Lara's godmother, a job she was taking very seriously indeed. In fact when I saw May with Lara I was amazed at the gentle and patient way she handled her. Perhaps, I thought, having survived with a handicap for so long had given May her great nature? The christening didn't go very long, and Lara seemed completely nonplussed by the attention she was receiving both during it and afterwards. I had to admit we really had been blessed with a wonderful baby. As I watched everyone pay her attention and then turn to Cary and I to tell us how lucky we were I agreed with them feverently. Maybe Cary was right about my worrying. Everything was going so well in our lives now and why shouldn't it after all we'd been through? Who was I to tempt fate by thinking things were going TOO well? I had to learn to just relax and enjoy the happiness my life was giving me.  
  
  
  
[A/N. This chapter is a bit shorter than usual I know but it's almost Christmas and I wanted to get this chapter up like I'd said I'd try to do. I'll be back to write some more in a few days.] 


	4. What the cards say

[A/N. With regard to the review by Valene where you asked who Billy was, well he was in the third book "Unfinished Symphony." He worked at the shop Holly owned in New York, as well as living in the back part? I always thought he was an interesting character, but he didn't get much written about him in the book. BTW this chapter is a little longer than usual, but it makes up for the fact that the last chapter was a little shorter than usual right? There is a further A/N at the bottom to explain something but I couldn't put it here or it would spoil the chapter.]  
  
Three:  
  
A few days after Lara's Christening I took her around to Holly and Kenneth's with me. Cary had just received an order for a boat, so I left him happily in his workshop. As I arrived at their place Kenneth was just on the way out.  
  
He came over to smile at Lara. "You know I can sort of see some of you in her face, but I can't see any of Cary." He told me. He cocked his head on the side when he studied her, and it reminded me of the way he would study a work of art. Feeling slightly uncomfortable I changed the subject.  
  
"Has the judge been here often? I know he's so proud to have two grandchildren born practically at the same time!" I asked.  
  
Kenneth's face clouded slightly. I knew he'd never completely forgive his father for his indiscretions, or more correctly for Kenneth's losing my mother, but they'd come a long way. I was pretty sure it was mostly due to Holly's influence, but at the same time I knew the judge wanted to be close to Kenneth again more than anything. In a way I knew having me as his granddaughter had made up a little bit for the relationship he wished he and Kenneth enjoyed, but I knew he'd be far happier if Kenneth would forgive him. "We can't get rid of him. He spends hours just sitting there with Nelson. And of course with him getting older he often falls asleep and then Holly has to wake him later when Morton arrives to pick him up." Kenneth said.  
  
"It's hard to think of him as being old, but then he's the same age as Grandma Olivia and Grandpa Samuel were!" I admitted. "I guess I just think he'll be around forever."  
  
Kenneth laughed slightly. "I'm sure he's got no plans to go anytime soon." He said. "Anyway I'm on my way into town, so I'll see you later."  
  
"Right, see you." I said, and he left as I went inside.  
  
Holly was on the phone when I walked in, and she told the person to hang on a moment. "Nelson's in his playpen in the living room. Kenneth bought it the other week for his sixth month birthday."  
  
I laughed, and went to put Lara in the playpen next to Nelson. She was too young to sit up of course, but she had been trying to roll over onto her side already, and she tried it unsuccessfully now. Nelson eyed her curiously, and crawled over to her. I reached into the playpen and handed her a rattle to play with, and she happily took it from me. I smiled at the cute picture the two made. I hoped that they would be friends forever, since everyone needs a friend or two, and the fact that they were related made it even more important. If there was one thing I'd learnt from my mother's neglect and actions was that family was very important!  
  
I went back into the kitchen where Holly was finishing up her conversation. She gave me a smile and gestured to the kettle. I made us both coffees trying not to listen to the conversation. As I was pouring the milk in she hung up. I carried hers to her and she took it gratefully.  
  
"Thanks," She said. "I'm exhausted- Nelson just wouldn't go down today."  
  
I sat down opposite her and took a sip of my coffee. "Lara's always happy to go down, but maybe that'll change in a few months." I said, hoping it wouldn't. I'd been a little nervous before her birth about the changes in my life she'd bring, but I'd found I hadn't needed to make the changes I'd thought I would. With her being perfectly content to just lie and look at things, or play with something I had no problems doing whatever I wanted to do. And she was already sleeping more than most babies her age would. Cary was convinced we'd been blessed with the perfect child, but I told him not to count his blessings too soon.  
  
"Hmm." Holly agreed. "That was Billy on the phone by the way."  
  
I almost dropped my coffee but I managed to give her a casual look. "How is he?" I asked. Ever since my return to Provincetown we'd never spoken about the relationship between Billy and myself. Billy had told me that she'd guessed but the two of us had never discussed it.  
  
"He's great actually. He's got a girlfriend. Marina. I vaguely remember her from when she used to come into the shop occasionally. Apparently she's been coming into the shop trying to work out the courage to tell him how she felt, but it took her awhile." Holly said, sipping her coffee and looking at me carefully.  
  
"That's great." I said. "He's a great guy and he deserves to be happy."  
  
Holly nodded. "I couldn't agree with you more there Melody. Listen, I know about you and Billy, but I can't say I blame you. Once you see past the wheelchair you realise Billy is a remarkable man."  
  
"I know." I said. "He's probably the most wonderful man I've ever met. He was so understanding when I decided to go and see my mother and then come back here to Cary."  
  
Holly smiled at me. "Well I think Cary's pretty wonderful too." She said with a grin. "I always knew you two would end up together. The stars are never wrong Melody."  
  
"I'm glad they're not wrong." I replied, finishing off my coffee.  
  
Holly was looking at me with what I thought was a slightly mischievous look on her face.  
  
"What?" I asked, a little nervously.  
  
"I'm going to read your tarot cards. I ordered some from a magazine the other week and they only just arrived. You can be my first subject." Holly decided.  
  
I shook my head. "Oh no thanks Holly. I don't believe in that stuff." I said.  
  
"Do you remember the first day I met you? You said you had a stomachache and I offered to help you with herbal medicine and you said that you doubted I had what you needed? I told you that I thought you had a lot of negative energy coming out of you- which by the way I don't think anymore since you've grown up and dealt with the bad things in your life- and then you just left the room and went for a walk? I bet that you thought I was crazy then didn't you?"  
  
I tried to remember. It hadn't been that long ago, but my thoughts then seemed so far removed from my current ones. I'd actually been in love with Kenneth and Holly's arrival had thrown me into jealousy. Later I'd discovered Kenneth was my half-uncle though so it was probably lucky Holly'd arrived when she did before I had made a complete fool of myself. "Well," I said now. "I thought you were eccentric and exotic."  
  
Holly threw her head back and laughed. "You're being very diplomatic there Melody. Anyway my point is you soon learnt that my "hoo-doo voo-doo" as Kenneth calls it wasn't just nonsense, didn't you?" She asked me.  
  
I nodded.  
  
"Well maybe you should be open again. And besides, it'll be fun. Don't you want to know what's going to happen in your future?" Holly asked.  
  
I shrugged. "I guess it could be kind of interesting- as long as it's a good future that is."  
  
"Of course it will be. You've got a great husband, a lovely girl, and a nice house. What could go wrong?" She asked dismissively. "You can check on the children while I get the cards."  
  
I sighed and went to check on the children. Lara had fallen asleep, the rattle clutched in her hand, and Nelson was half-asleep, lying contentedly. I smiled at them and then went back to the kitchen.  
  
Holly came back with the cards, which were wrapped in silk, and she sat down opposite me. "Right, there are a few different readings you can do. For example the Celtic Cross, the seven card progression, the question and answer spread. If there's a specific question you want answering then that's the best, but if you just want a general overview something like the Celtic Cross is better." She looked at me expectantly.  
  
"Okay," I said deciding I might as well play along. Especially when I saw her enthusiasm for it. And after all, it was harmless fun, right? "How about asking the cards a question? I want to know whether my life will run smoothly. Is that a proper question?"  
  
"Sure." Holly said. "Now I need you to shuffle the cards for me."  
  
I shuffled them for a moment and then handed them back to her. A dreamy expression had come over her face, and I struggled not to smile at it. She shuffled the cards some more before cutting the deck twice and making three piles, then placing them back together. She spread seven cards out, putting them face down.  
  
"Right," she said, flipping over the first card. "This represents your past. Okay, a six of cups. The six of cups can be interpreted as the flow of the past into the present, giving you new impetus with which to plan for the future. You need to accept your personal history Melody, and that will bring the reward of perspective and experience in your life. It's telling you to learn from your past."  
  
Despite myself I looked impressed. What I'd learnt in the last year or so had made me grow up, but it had also taught me things, like how important love was. The third card, which dealt with hidden influences that I needed to consider was the ace of cups in a reversed position. "This indicates that you've got fears about a family problem or often about conceiving, which is interesting considering you've just had Lara, so perhaps you've got some kind of fears about her. You can't let things suffer though because of these fears. You can't let these fears affect your outcome."  
  
I felt my heart skip a beat. Fears about children! One of my biggest fears at the moment was that Lara didn't belong to Cary. Maybe there really was something to this card reading after all. The sixth card dealt with obstacles in my path and when Holly turned it over it was revealed as a seven of swords. "Hmmm," Holly said thoughtfully. "This card indicates lies and mistrust, and possible dealings with a dangerous opponent. But the message appears to be to fight for what you believe in, for what you believe belongs to you."  
  
The seventh, and final card, dealt with the outcome. It was "The sun" which made me smile. "So it's a good outcome then?" I asked.  
  
Holly looked thoughtful. "Let's see, The sun's presence in a reading symbolizes accomplishment. Rewards will crown your endeavors. It could be something like the birth of a child, happy love relationships, good health and that kind of thing. But most interestingly for you the benefits of heat and light- vision, comfort and growth- are yours, so whatever you embark on now will be blessed with good fortune and support!"  
  
I sighed with relief. "Well that's good to hear- not that I'm entirely convinced mind you- but it's still good to know that things are going to go smoothly for me."  
  
"Well as long as the hidden influences don't become too obvious. And as long as you are brave enough to counter the obstacles. And don't be surprised if those obstacles also relate to Lara since she came into it earlier." Holly reminded me.  
  
Thinking about that made me frown slightly. It seemed kind of strange that my fears about Lara were revealed as hidden influences which could ruin my dream of life going smoothly. How had the cards known that? Before I could think about it further Kenneth came home.  
  
He came into the kitchen armed with grocery bags and saw the cards lying out. "Ah has Holly been predicting your death Melody? Or rather you are going to be rich and famous?"  
  
Holly shot him a dirty look, but I laughed. Kenneth was right- a bunch of silly cards couldn't tell me things about my life. Sure some of the things in the reading might have struck a cord with me, but everything could be interpreted to mean something, and that was just the way I saw them. I stood up. "I better take Lara home or Cary will be wondering where I got to. That was fun though Holly, thanks." I said.  
  
Holly smiled and she walked me to my car, with Nelson on her hip. "Say hi to Cary for me."  
  
"Will do. See you soon!" I called, as I drove off. All thoughts of the cards went out of my head as I drove along with the radio on.  
  
  
  
[A/N. I know that there were seven cards being read for the reading but to write about them all would have bored everyone silly, so I just picked some cards to mean what I want them to mean for later in the story. And just in case you don't know anything about tarot cards (not that I'm an expert by any means!) the meanings are actually the correct ones!] 


	5. Where is May?

[A/N. Can anyone remember the age of May during the "Melody" series? I seem to think she was a teenager, or just becoming one which could make her just fifteen or so in this story? Also I realise that Lara would only be six weeks old here and therefore most babies would still be taking their milk from their mothers, but I guess I decided that for some reason Lara isn't, maybe there is a medical reason Melody has to wean her or something. It's not important why, but it fitted in with my story for it to be happening. And sorry that this chapter is a little shorter than usual but I wanted to get something up here since it's been ages since I updated, and now I've got a few more chapters in my mind.]  
  
Four:  
  
I was surprised to find May waiting on the front porch when I got home. I signed to her, asking why she wasn't at home, and wouldn't Aunt Sara be wondering where she was? She signed back to tell me she'd made up an excuse about having something to do after school and that she really needed to talk to me. I studied her thoughtfully. It seemed only yesterday that May had only been a child, and a beautiful one at that. I hadn't realised how grown up she was becoming, how adult she looked. My eyes met her eyes, and I saw that she was troubled, and quickly invited her in. We went through to the kitchen and she nursed Lara while I got her bottle ready. She'd only recently been weaned and on some occasions wasn't too happy with the bottle, however when May offered it to her she took it eagerly.  
  
"You'll make a good mother one day." I signed to May, and to my surprise she blushed darkly.  
  
"So, what do you want to talk to me about? I assume it's something you couldn't talk to your mother about." I asked her as Lara finished her bottle and I took her off May. She followed me through to the living room where I put Lara on her blanket on the floor.  
  
"There's not much I can talk to Ma about." May admitted to me. "I sometimes get the impression that her answers aren't so much hers as they are Dad's."  
  
  
  
I smiled. "Well I suppose that's only natural isn't it? Your mother wants your father to think she's doing a good job of raising you."  
  
May shrugged, and then told me the real reason she was there. "It's this boy, Tommy his name is, and he's wonderful. He can hear and speak, but he never looks at me differently because I can't." I was tempted to interrupt and say that nobody should treat her differently, but I decided that it was best to let her continue. "Tommy said he loves me. I think I love him too, but I'm not sure. I've never been in love before so I don't know how it feels...how does it feel Melody?"  
  
I sensed this wasn't the main question, but I replied nonetheless. "I guess it's different for everyone, but if you're in love you should be walking around happily, like you're in the middle of a dream, and feel all warm and fuzzy." I said.  
  
May smiled. "That's the way I feel when I'm with Tommy."  
  
"That's wonderful May." I said, genuinely happy for her.  
  
May sighed then, and then continued. "I don't know a lot about things, like things between men and women, but I know what I hear from girls at school. That's where I learnt about a lot of things because Ma would never tell me anything like that. The thing is Tommy says if I really love him like I say I do I'd go all the way with him. But I'm scared Melody." She finished.  
  
I bit my lip, trying to decide the best way to handle it. In the end I decided that the best way was to tell her the truth. "May, sex is a very important thing between two people who love each other very much. You don't want to have sex with someone if you're not sure that you love them very much." I told her.  
  
She frowned. "The girls at school say that's an old fashioned concept. They're all having sex."  
  
"Maybe they are, but that's them May, not you. You've got to do what you think is right for you, not for them. In the end you're the only one who knows whether you love Tommy enough to take such an important step with him."  
  
A strange look crossed her face and then she smiled. "I thought you were going to tell me off, and tell me I'm too young." She admitted.  
  
"I might think you're too young May, but I'd never tell you off. Like I said, you're the one who's in charge here. But you have to promise me two things. First, think very, very carefully before you make any decisions. Sometimes we think we're in love, or we chose to do something for another reason, and it turns out to be wrong." When I said that I was thinking about how close I'd come to sleeping with Adam Jackson more than anything. Would I have done that for the right reason I wondered? Since the day in town before Lara's christening I hadn't seen Adam on the few occasions I'd been in town, something I was very grateful for.  
  
May nodded and I continued. "And the second thing is when you do end up having sex, whether it's sooner or later, you have to promise me to be very careful and use protection."  
  
May's face reddened a little at this, but she nodded. I decided that the conversation had finished and changed the subject to something else, the thing which was occupying my mind most days- Lara. Later on, as May was leaving, she made me promise not to discuss the conversation with anyone, especially not Cary. I promised, and promptly forgot all about the conversation. A baby takes up a lot of your time and it seemed as though the six weeks since Lara had been born had just flown by. It was a week later when I next thought of the conversation.  
  
*****  
  
There was a frantic knocking at the front door. I left Lara on the floor and hurried to answer it. Aunt Sara stood there, her face pale and her hair all messed up. She didn't wait for me to invite her in but hurried inside herself and into the living room.  
  
"It's May." She said dramatically.  
  
I frowned slightly. Had Aunt Sara somehow found out about May's problems? "What about May Aunt Sara?" I asked.  
  
"She's gone." Aunt Sara said, and she collapsed into a chair.  
  
I hurried to her side. "Gone? What do you mean?" I asked, trying to work out what was happening. Did this have anything to do with our conversation?  
  
"I mean she's gone." Aunt Sara snapped. "G-O-N-E."  
  
"Wait a moment Aunt Sara, I think I better get Cary up from his workshop." I said standing up and taking a deep breath. I went to the intercom and told Cary that he better come up to the house, that his mother was there and it was something to do with May, but I wasn't sure what. Then I went back into the living room. Aunt Sara had flopped in the chair, and her eyes were wide open and she was taking deep breaths, her hand on her chest.  
  
"Aunt Sara do you want a glass of water?" I asked, beginning to feel scared.  
  
"Yes thank you Melody. A glass of water would be nice." Aunt Sara said politely, her tone far removed from the one a few moments earlier.  
  
I went into the kitchen to get her a glass and just as I was giving it to her Cary came in, panting. "Ma, what's wrong?" He cried, hurrying into the room.  
  
"May's gone." Aunt Sara said.  
  
Cary glanced over at me, but I shrugged. I had no more ideas than he did, and he didn't know about the troubles May had come to me with the other week since I'd been sworn to secrecy by her.  
  
"She didn't come home from school today, and went I went to her room she'd left me a note on the dresser. Here, see for yourselves, I don't have the strength to read it out loud." Aunt Sara said, and she handed Cary the note. I read over his shoulder:  
  
"Dear Ma,  
  
I'm sorry for doing this to you but I can't stay here anymore. I've done something really bad, and if you ever found out you'd be furious. You'd tell me I was a sinner, and maybe I am. I'm going away so I can't pollute our home and lives with the germs of a sinner.  
  
Love May.  
  
P.S. Please thank Melody for her advice. She was right."  
  
Cary turned to me. "What advice?" He asked.  
  
"Exactly what I want to know, Melody, what on earth is going on? Where is my May, and what has she done?" Aunt Sara demanded, glaring at me. I had never seen my kind Aunt look at me like that and I realised it was because this time her young daughter was involved. Part of me would have liked to comment on the fact that if it weren't for the attitude of Aunt Sara and Uncle Jacob before he died that May would never have thought she had to run away after what she did.  
  
I gulped and opened my mouth to tell them. 


	6. Teenagers and their problems

[A/N. I'm not sure I like this story as much as I did the one before, but nonetheless I am determined to finish it, so then I can write the next one which I'm actually looking forward to. Therefore this one might not be as long as the previous one, maybe only sixteen chapters as compared to the twenty odd in the one before. It seems to me that in the last story there was only one main thing happening- which was the marriage, and then Melody leaving and coming back, but it all revolved around the marriage. This one seems to have a few different things happening in it, but I suppose when you think about it that's kind of VC Andrewsish? Anyway, I hope everyone is enjoying it regardless.]  
  
FIVE:  
  
"May came to me the other day for some advice." I admitted. "She was having boy troubles and she wanted my opinion."  
  
Aunt Sara frowned. "Why didn't she come to me? Her own mother? We've never had trouble talking before." A hurt look flitted across her face.  
  
"I think she thought that you wouldn't want to talk about this kind of thing with her." I said diplomatically. "Anyway I gave her my advice, and I haven't seen her since. That was about a week ago."  
  
Cary was looking at me strangely. "Melody, what exactly did she want to know?" He asked slowly.  
  
I shook my head. "I promised her I wouldn't tell you Cary, let's just say it was advice about boys and leave it there."  
  
He looked like he was going to protest, but then he turned away, back to Aunt Sara. "Think Ma- where would May go to if she was running away?"  
  
Aunt Sara shook her head. "I don't know." She cried, tears beginning to run down her cheeks. "I have no idea where she'd go."  
  
Cary crossed the room to put his hand on her shoulder. His face was impassive, like a rock, something I'd always admired about him. Cary had strength, but then he'd always had to. Uncle Jacob expected him to act like a man, and when Uncle Jacob died Cary'd been left as the man of the house. "Right, this is what we're going to do." He said. "Ma- you're going to go into town and look around. Check to see whether she bought a bus or train ticket too. I'll go and check Kenneth and Holly's place as well as the Judge. Melody- who seems to know everything about my little sister's life- can check with her friends, and since she's the one who knows about the so- called boy trouble, perhaps she could check with whoever she thinks might know something."  
  
His tone cut me to the quick, but I didn't let him see it. I held my head high. "Just let me get Lara changed and I'll go." I replied.  
  
A few minutes later Lara and I were in the car as I drove towards the home of May's boyfriend. It was lucky I knew his parents or else I would have had no idea where to go, and from the inferences in the letter I was pretty sure May's sudden departure had something to do with Tommy. Needless to say Tommy was pretty surprised to see me when I knocked on the door.  
  
"Aren't you May's brother's wife?" He asked me.  
  
"Yes, Melody Logan." I replied, holding Lara in my arms. She was awake and alert, looking around at everything with interest. Cary had just been saying the night before that he thought she was very advanced for her age, and how proud he was of her. I pushed the thought of Cary out of my mind for the moment since the last time I'd seen him he'd been glaring at me in anger. "Can I come in please?"  
  
"Oh right, sure.." He said moving aside, looking confused at what was going on. We went through to the kitchen which is where he'd obviously been sitting before my arrival, doing his homework.  
  
"Would you like a drink?" He asked, trying to be polite, but I shook my head and took a seat instead. He hesitated and then sat next to me.  
  
"I'll get to the point I think Tommy. May's run away." I said.  
  
He looked shocked. "Run away?" He repeated. "But I only saw her just last night. Gosh, I hope she's all right. Do you have any ideas why she went?"  
  
I frowned slightly. He wasn't making it easy. "No, but I was hoping you might." I said.'  
  
He shook his head. "Why would I have any?" He asked me.  
  
I sighed, and decided that I was getting nowhere fast. "Look Tommy, it's none of my business really, only May came to me for advice last week. Advice about you, and advice about sex. In the note she left for her Mom she said she'd done something really bad, and that her Mom would think she was a sinner for it." I said bluntly.  
  
Tommy put his head in his hands for a moment, apparently thinking before looking up at me. "Look Melody, I love May." He told me. "I've never met someone like her. She's so sweet and so nice..."  
  
"I have no doubt that you do- and she loves you too." I assured him.  
  
"Last night my parents were out and May came over. She told her Mom she was coming to study I think, and things kind of went further than we'd planned. Afterwards instead of being happy, May was upset. She told me that her Mom would be so disappointed in her. I told her that it wasn't her Mom's life, it was hers, but she was pretty upset. When she didn't come to school today I was worried, and I rang to see whether she was sick, but there was no answer. I sort of thought that perhaps her Mom was out and May was alone which would account for the no answer, and that's all I know. I have no idea where May could be though. But if there's anything I can do to help let me know!" Tommy said.  
  
I'd been watching him as he spoke and I knew he was telling the truth- he had no idea where May had got too.  
  
I sighed then and ran a hand through my hair. "Do you know anyone who might know where she would be?"  
  
"I guess you could try Sally Watson- she's May's closest friend at school." Tommy suggested, and I stood up.  
  
"Do you know where she lives?" I asked.  
  
Tommy nodded and explained it for me, and I left to see whether I could get more information out of her. On the way I thought about Tommy- he seemed like a nice enough, sincere guy, and he clearly loved May very much. I knew that when Cary and I were alone next I would have to tell him what May had asked me and I knew he wasn't going to like it. May was his little sister and the first thing I'd noticed when my mother had left me here a few years back was how protective of her he was. And the angry look on his face today reinforced it to me.  
  
When I spoke to Sally it was clear enough that she knew where May was, but wasn't going to tell me. She didn't look me in the eyes as she spoke and her words sounded rehearsed. She was a nice enough girl, but it was obvious that she'd given May her word and was reluctant to break it.  
  
"Look Sally, I'll level with you." I said eventually, getting a little tired of the games. "If you don't tell me where May is Cary will come over here later, and he won't be so nice as me."  
  
Sally's eyes widened. "Are you threatening me?" She demanded.  
  
"Oh for heavens sake!" I cried. "I'm not threatening you- I'm merely appealing to your good judgement and sense of friendship. I know you think you're doing the right thing by keeping May's whereabouts secret, but you're not. May can't survive out there without her friends and family, and surely you know that. And think about her Mom- she's out of her mind with worry. May was her only daughter now and she doesn't know where she is."  
  
Sally bit her lip, and stared over my shoulder for a long time before finally speaking. "Fine." She said. "But if she never speaks to me again it will be your fault."  
  
"I can live with that." I said dryly.  
  
"She's staying at a motel at the moment- you know the one just out of town. Room 112." Sally said.  
  
"A motel?" I repeated. "How can she afford that?"  
  
"I lent her some money, and she has her own savings." Sally explained. "And then she was going to go to LA."  
  
"LA?" I repeated. "What on earth would she do in LA?"  
  
"Get a job." Sally replied as if it were all so simple.  
  
I shook my head and stood up. "I better get over there and talk some sense into her. Thank you for this Sally."  
  
She didn't answer, and I let myself out and drove to the motel. Needless to say May was shocked to answer the door and see me there.  
  
"Go away Melody." She signed and started to close the door, but I pushed it open and went into the room. I looked around, and wrinkled my nose at the place. How could May stand to stay here even one night?  
  
May flopped herself onto the bed and regarded me angrily. "How did you know I was here?" She demanded.  
  
I shrugged. "I just did. May everyone's so worried about you. Cary and your Ma are out of their minds with worry, and Tommy's pretty concerned too."  
  
"Tommy? You've spoken to Tommy?" May asked.  
  
"I did." I replied. "He told me what happened last night May."  
  
Her face went red, but she didn't comment.  
  
"May- I don't know why you think what you did was a sin." I said, and I moved over to the opposite bed, sitting so I was facing her.  
  
"It was a sin!" May protested, signing in a fury. "If Dad was here he'd tell you that, he was always on about sinning and that was on the top of his list."  
  
"May when two people love each other very much that's not a sin. It's a beautiful, wonderful thing." I told her. "It's when people do it with lots of different people without even caring about them that it's a sin."  
  
May looked unconvinced, and I sighed. "May, listen, come back with me please." I pleaded. "Your Ma is so worried."  
  
May shook her head and signed that she couldn't, that she'd done the wrong thing.  
  
I didn't know how to tell her that it wasn't the wrong thing, since she seemed to be so clearly set on her opinion, so instead I asked her a question: "Do you think that having sex before marriage is the sin May?"  
  
She looked thoughtful. "I guess, Dad always said that only harlots had sex before marriage, loose women." She said.  
  
"Let me tell you something then May, and I want you to listen very carefully." I signed, deliberately slow so she couldn't miss a thing. "As much as I don't want to be the one to tell you this your Father was a hypocrite. He slept with my mother when she was younger and this was, in fact, the reason why I ran away when Cary and I were going to be married. I thought I might have been related to Cary. Eventually I confronted my mother who admitted that it wasn't Uncle Jacob who was the father." Here I conveniently left out the fact that my mother had also claimed to not have slept with Jacob, but if we're going to be honest who knows whether she ever told the truth or not? "But the point is May, that it's not a sin. If it's a sin then Cary and I have sinned as well, and so have a lot of people. You don't have to let your Ma, or Cary know why you ran away, we'll think of something, just please, please come back with me?"  
  
May sighed, and she looked away considering. Then she turned back and asked "What kind of story?"  
  
I sighed with relief. "I don't know maybe you skipped school or something?" I offered. "I know it's not a huge deal but Aunt Sara will buy it when she thinks about how well behaved you are." I didn't mention that there was no way Cary would buy it and I was probably going to have to tell him the truth, although he'd have to be sworn to secrecy.  
  
"Okay." May agreed.  
  
*****  
  
"MAY!" Aunt Sara rushed to her to fold her into her arms.  
  
May pulled back from her to sign to her that she was sorry for scaring her, but she had done something wrong at school and she was worried that she'd get into a lot of trouble.  
  
Aunt Sara assured her that she couldn't do anything that was bad enough to think she had to run away, and a few moments later they left to go home, and I turned to go inside, only to find Cary on the steps, his arms folded across his broad chest, looking at me thoughtfully.  
  
"Trouble at school?" He asked disbelieving.  
  
I shrugged. "Well you know May." I said lamely.  
  
"Are you going to tell me the truth or not Melody?" Cary asked.  
  
"I can't." I said. "I promised May, but honestly Cary it's nothing major. May's a great kid, and you should know that more than anyone!"  
  
"I DO know that." Cary said. "I just worry about her."  
  
"Well don't." I told him. "She knows what she's doing. I know it's hard for you to accept that she's old enough to make her own decisions, but she is. Honestly Cary, I wonder what you're going to be like when Lara's May's age?"  
  
Cary laughed. "Lock her in the house if she looks anything like her mother." He told me, his eyes softer now.  
  
"Compliments will get you everywhere." I assured him. "In fact, if you put Lara down for me I might even make your favourite meal for dinner?"  
  
"That's a deal." Cary said and he reached for his daughter, who went to him eagerly. "And by the way Melody, I'm sorry for getting mad at you before, it's just that I can't help but be protective when it comes to May."  
  
I nodded. "Apology accepted, but you might want to think about not being so protective?"  
  
"Suggestion noted." Cary said, and he took my hand and we went inside. 


	7. Happy families again

[A/N. I still don't really know whether or not I like this story as much as I liked the one before, but like I said I'm the persistent type and I am not going to give up on it. I am determined to finish it and also to do the best job I can. I'm already thinking ahead to the sequel which promises to be quite VC Andrewsish!]  
  
SIX:  
  
After that night Cary didn't ask me again what had happened to May to make her think running away was her only solution, and to my surprise and happiness he also stopped treating May like a baby. She noticed it of course and asked me about it when Cary, Lara and I went over to Aunt Sara's for our usual Sunday lunch. Aunt Sara was in a cooking frenzy, and she smiled absently at us when we came in.  
  
"Melody, could you be a dear and go with May to get me some cranberries from the bog?" She asked, barely turning around.  
  
I shrugged, handed Lara to Cary, and May and I went down to the Cranberry bog. I made her laugh by telling her that when I first arrived and heard them talking about the bog that I thought it was some big muddy place, and I had no idea how pretty it could look. "But don't go telling Cary that," I warned her with a grin. "He still teases me sometimes about being a landlubber."  
  
May signed back that because Cary was such a good sailor he thought anyone who didn't know as much as him was no good. She laughed telling me about how Cary and Laura used to argue over who was the better sailor, but Cary stubbornly refused to believe she could possibly be better than him!  
  
I smiled, imagining that. After all the Cary I knew was nothing if not stubborn.  
  
That's when May asked me whether I'd told Cary what had happened between her and Tommy. I assured her I hadn't; I wouldn't break my promise to her.  
  
She frowned briefly and then signed "That's strange, because he's been acting different the last few days."  
  
"Different how?" I demanded, worried that he hadn't taken my advice after all.  
  
"He's been acting as though I'm grown up!" May said with a shrug. "I met him in town the other day when he came in to get something he needed for the boat he's building, and I was with Tommy, and he just said hello and chatted to us both as if...well not like usual!"  
  
I laughed, and explained to May that I had suggested to Cary that she was growing up and old enough to make her own choices, and that he couldn't baby her forever.  
  
Her face lit up in a smile, and she thanked me profusely.  
  
"So," I asked as we started back towards the house with the important cranberries. "How are things between you and Tommy?"  
  
She smiled happily as she answered her hands almost a blur. "Great! I'm having dinner at his place on Friday to meet his parents, and I'm trying to work up the nerve to ask Ma to let him come to lunch next Sunday." She told me.  
  
"I'm sure she won't mind." I said, although privately I knew it might be a bit hard for Aunt Sara to realise her little girl was growing up that fast, especially with Laura dead, and Cary living away from her.  
  
May shrugged, and told me that she'd just have to get used to the idea because she and Tommy were planning on being together a long time. She was still smiling happily when we went back into the kitchen were Cary was explaining the details of the boat he was building to Aunt Sara. ".and then when I finish off that it's pretty much done and ready for Mr. Harrison. So with Kenneth's, the judges and this one, I should start getting some exposure and maybe the business will take off." He was saying, and then he glanced at us. "What's with the smiles? Or is it secret women's business?" He asked us, signing so May could understand.  
  
May just smiled and handed the cranberries to her mother, and then hurried over to Cary to take Lara from him.  
  
"If we tell you we'll have to kill you." I told Cary jokingly, but there was still a slight warning in my words. A warning which Cary got, as he continued his discussion on boats.  
  
Aunt Sara finished cooking and came to sit down at the table with us as she waited for the meal to be ready. "You know Cary, " she said. "I was thinking the other day how you should have a boat launch."  
  
"A what?" Cary repeated, frowning slightly in confusion.  
  
"A boat launch." Aunt Sara repeated. "Make it like a party, you know invite a few people, have a few nibblies and drinks- then everyone would know about your business and hopefully the orders would come hurrying in."  
  
I was impressed. "That's not a bad idea Aunt Sara!" I said. "We could have Cary breaking a bottle of Champagne over the boat- like in the movies!"  
  
"We're not in the movies." Cary muttered, but he was looking thoughtful. "I don't know that I'd want something too elaborate. I feel like with our wedding, and Lara's Christening and all we've probably had enough big parties lately, but something smaller, where I could invite people who might be interested in getting me to build them a boat could be interesting. I'll have to think it over."  
  
The timer on the oven beeped then and Aunt Sara hurried over to it. A few minutes later we were in the dining room with our meal. Cary said grace and then we began to eat. As we ate Aunt Sara mentioned that she had been speaking to Mrs. Jackson in town the other day and that Adam was marrying his girlfriend from college, Francine. "By the way she was speaking it sounds like the marriage is going to be a pretty big affair." She told us shaking her head. "It seems sinful to waste so much money on a wedding."  
  
I shrugged. "I guess if I had that kind of money Cary and I would have had a huge wedding too." I said, but Cary shook his head.  
  
"You'd never catch me doing anything like those Jackson's. Show offs the lot of them and Adam is the worst of the lot." He insisted.  
  
I hid my smile by taking a sip of my water. Cary's feelings about Adam were not exactly unknown to me. I remembered even at the very beginning he warned me about him, about his reputation, but foolishly I refused to believe him. And then after the incident on the beach although Cary never exactly gloated about it, I got the feeling he felt justified.  
  
May began to tell us all about her ideal wedding. It would be on the beach, the bride and bridesmaids would wear simple, yet elegant dresses with their hair piled up on their heads with a seashell comb to hold it in place. They would be barefoot and exchange vows as the sun was beginning to set. Before she could get too carried away though  
  
Aunt Sara interrupted her with a laugh, telling her that it was a long way off yet.  
  
May frowned, and signed to her mother that she was almost sixteen, and in some areas and countries girls got married at sixteen!  
  
"Well not in Provincetown." Aunt Sara said primly and the subject was closed.  
  
I saw Cary give May a sympathetic smile, and she smiled back briefly.  
  
"So Melody," Aunt Sara asked, as we finished our meal. "How's Lara behaving herself?"  
  
"She's great." I enthused. "I mean, I'm sure all mothers say that, but honestly I think she's the perfect baby. She never cries unless she wants something, and she's already trying to sit up. Cary, is convinced more and more every day, that she's going to be a genius."  
  
Aunt Sara smiled, a little nostalgically. "When Cary and Laura were babies Laura was the same. She was so well behaved it was surprising. I suppose she saw how much her brother annoyed me and was making up for him?"  
  
Cary looked indignant, but May and I both laughed. I had to admit though, whenever Aunt Sara spoke of Laura, I would feel my heart do a little jump of fear lest she regressed.  
  
When we were leaving later I saw Cary give May a hug and sign to her to have a good week, and say hello to that nice Tommy friend of hers. With a grin May signed back that she would. On the way home Cary asked, in what was obviously his attempt at a casual tone, "That Tommy- he's May's boyfriend isn't he?"  
  
"What makes you ask that?" I replied, equally as casually.  
  
"I just get the feeling that's all." Cary replied, and glanced at me briefly.  
  
"And if he is?" I asked, and then hastily added "And that was just an IF Cary, nothing more."  
  
"If he is," Cary said slowly. "I guess I hope they're happy together and he treats her well."  
  
I smiled and said nothing more. The rest of the trip home was spent in companionable silence. I felt as though my life really was perfect now. I remembered after Lara's Christening thinking that things were too perfect, but now I decided that kind of idea was stupid. Life was what you made of it, and I was determined to make mine good. My mind flitted briefly to Holly's tarot cards and their predictions. The thought that they'd predicted that there would be obstacles I would have to overcome, and that I had fears about Lara had concerned me at the time, but on closer reflection I decided that they were simply a bunch of silly cards and nothing else. Lara was a joy, I was happy with her and Cary, and Cary was enjoying his boat building business.  
  
To my surprise as we pulled up the long driveway I noticed there was a car sitting out the front of the house. As we stopped next to it, a slightly overweight girl stepped out of it, and my mouth opened in shock. "Alice!" I called, jumping out of the car. "What are you doing here?"  
  
She smiled slightly. "Can't I visit my best friend and her family? I haven't seen you since the wedding, and the only time I've ever seen Lara is in photos." She said.  
  
I frowned. "Of course you can visit me any time you want." I assured her, but then I asked her the question that had been bugging me since we'd pulled up a moment ago and I'd recognised her. "But why aren't you at college?"  
  
To my shock she burst into tears. "Oh Melody it's terrible. I'm a failure. I only passed one subject last year, and I'm failing everything again."  
  
"Calm down Alice, come inside and I'll get you a drink." I said, and I led her inside, with Cary and Lara following at a slower pace. 


	8. Advice for Alice

[A/N. As with my other stories this chapter has certainly been a long time coming, and I've nothing to blame but my own laziness I'm afraid. I'm trying to update all my stories over this weekend, and then hopefully after that I'll be a little more regular with them. However uni is back in just over a week, so who knows whether this will happen or not? Anyway, enjoy this somewhat short chapter regardless.]  
  
SEVEN:  
  
"So," I said when we were sitting down at the kitchen table with Alice clutching a glass of water. "Tell me what happened?"  
  
"I guess I always thought I didn't have to study much, that I was naturally smart." Alice mused, looking thoughtful.  
  
"Well you were!" I argued. "Alice think back to high school. You didn't study and you were top of the class regardless. If that's not naturally smart I don't know what is!"  
  
Alice smiled weakly. "Well maybe college is different." She replied. "I just assumed I could carry on the way I'd done in the past and still get the marks. Turns out- you can't. And do you know what the worst thing was?"  
  
I shook my head, and out of the corner of my eye saw Cary walk past on his way upstairs to change and put Lara down.  
  
"The worst thing was when my parents saw my marks. They were so disappointed in me. My mother shook her head and said, "I thought you were destined for great things Alice. Maybe you should get used to the idea of working in a supermarket or something?" Dad's reaction was different- he yelled at me for a long time before finally sitting down and shaking his head like my mother had done. "You stuffed up big time Alice." He told me. "I hope for your sake you make it better. You're very damn lucky they let you keep your scholarship and put it down to the stresses of leaving home and first year at college. Next year they won't be so lenient, and I won't pay for you if they don't." And I'm failing still!" Alice finished and burst into fresh tears.  
  
I hurried out of my seat and put my arms around her. "Alice," I said. "Come on. This isn't the end of the world."  
  
"Maybe not the end of YOUR world." Alice replied. "Look at you Melody, you're married, you've got a daughter. You've got everything. Without this, without my degree, I will have nothing."  
  
I didn't know what to say to that. I could have told Alice that I didn't have everything, that even though things seemed to be going fine now I always had my doubts about it, but I didn't. Instead I asked the question which had been on my mind ever since she blurted out her problems outside before: "Why do you think you're failing?"  
  
She looked surprised at the question. "Why?" She repeated. "Because I'm stupid."  
  
I shook my head. "We both know that's not true Alice." I said firmly but gently. "If you were stupid there is no way you would have gotten the marks you did at school, nor the scholarship for college, so think again."  
  
Alice sighed and took a small sip of her water. "I guess," She muttered. "It could be a number of things. The first year I didn't really study, like I said. I just breezed through, thinking how easy it all was. When I got my marks I was in shock. It was like being hit in the face by a tonne of bricks. So far this year I've studied a lot. I spend most of my time studying to be honest. I've only been there almost two months, but I think I could count on one hand the number of times I've left my room for something other than study or food." She laughed a little at this. "My roommate thinks I'm strange."  
  
"Who cares what she thinks?" I replied. "Now Alice if college has only been going for a few months is there time to pull your grades back up?"  
  
"Plenty of time." She replied. "But I don't know how: I study all the time and for what? For fails?"  
  
I looked thoughtful and then said slowly "Alice, has it ever occurred to you that you've basically gone from one extreme to the other? At first you didn't study at all, and now you're studying all the time. And what are the results? The same!"  
  
A strange look crossed her face. "So I'm studying too much now?"  
  
I shrugged. "I don't know for sure of course, but it's possible. If you only study and do nothing else..well college is about making friends and having fun as much as it's about studying Alice. You should go out more, join clubs, that kind of thing."  
  
"That's easy for you to say." Alice said with a frown. "Everyone's always liked you Melody, you've always been part of the group.I'm different."  
  
"Different how?" I demanded.  
  
"Well I'm not pretty for one thing." Alice said, playing with the tablecloth and avoiding my eyes.  
  
I was surprised to say the least. Alice had never seemed to be too concerned about her weight before- usually it was me worrying for her. But then I guessed surrounded by lots of pretty girls in college it was a little hard to be secure? "Alice, you're a great person. You're smart, funny and nice. Who wouldn't want to be your friend?"  
  
"Do you really think that?" Alice asked, looking up in shock.  
  
"Would I have said it if I didn't think it?" I replied. "Look Alice, the best thing for you to do is to get back to college and start enjoying it- but not to the point that you completely neglect your study again. The thing is you've got to find the right balance of work and play for you. And only you can do that!"  
  
Alice nodded. "You're right Melody. You always were the practical one." She said.  
  
"And you were always the smart one, so get back there and get the grades you deserve." I replied with a grin.  
  
Cary came in then, cautiously as though he was worried to be interrupting girl talk. I gave him a reassuring smile to let him know it was all right. He sighed as he fell into a chair. "Melody you said that Lara always goes down fine." He accused me.  
  
I raised an eyebrow. "She does." I said.  
  
"Well not today." Cary said, pretending to wipe his brow. "She didn't want to go down at all. Maybe two months is the problem age?"  
  
"I don't think it is." I said with a shrug. "Maybe she just wasn't tired?"  
  
"Well I am." Cary said. "I think I might just go down to the workshop. I want to put a few finishing touches on Mr. Harrison's boat."  
  
"Okay, I'll call you when dinner is ready." I replied. "Although you're probably not too hungry after that huge lunch at your Mum's?"  
  
"Are you kidding?" Cary replied. "I'm starving- nice to see you again Alice."  
  
"You too Cary." She replied.  
  
"And Cary?" I called as he was on his way out. He came back and poked his head around the door. "Give some thought to that idea of your mum's about the boat launch. I think it could be a good idea, and it doesn't have to be too extravagant, just something to make everyone aware of your business?"  
  
"Yeah, I'll think about it." He promised as he left.  
  
"What idea?" Alice asked and I explained Aunt Sara's idea to her, ending with that I thought it would also help Aunt Sara because I sometimes got the impression that she felt as though she had lost Cary to me.  
  
Alice nodded thoughtfully. "Yeah, that's not a bad idea really." She said. "Exposure couldn't hurt, especially when you're launching a business."  
  
"Yeah, will you come for the party?" I asked her.  
  
"No, I don't think so." Alice said. "I'm planning on being too busy with my nice new balance in life."  
  
I laughed. "Well in that case I forgive you- as long as I get a ticket to your graduation when you graduate top of your class. And when you achieve your goal of becoming a top lawyer I get free of charge services." I decided.  
  
Alice laughed too. "Thanks for everything Melody. I seem to feel a lot better about everything now."  
  
"Good." I said, glad to think that Alice was as happy as me..well close enough. 


	9. An interesting conversation

EIGHT:  
  
After Alice's visit life went back to normal for a few days- and when I say normal I mean we just did the same old things. Not that I was complaining totally. There was something nice in just spending time with my daughter and husband. Then something had to come along and change all of it, didn't it?  
  
Cary came in for dinner, carrying the mail. He looked at a creamy colored envelope formally addressed to "Mr. and Mrs. Cary Logan." He flipped it over to me on the table. "Looks kind of posh." He commented.  
  
I wiped my dirty hands on my apron before opening it. As I read it my jaw dropped open with surprise. Cary was watching the expression on my face. "It's not one of those poison pen letters is it?" He asked with a grin.  
  
I shook my head. "Not exactly no. It's an invitation." I said, and then I read from the invitation "Mr. and Mrs. Jackson would like the pleasure of the company of Cary and Melody at the marriage of their son Adam, to Francine. And then it goes on with the details and such."  
  
Cary sat down in the nearest chair and reached for a cookie from the basket in the middle of the table, but I slapped his hand away. "Dinners nearly ready. You'll spoil your appetite." I told him and he laughed but moved his hand away.  
  
I turned back to the stove, glad to be with my back to Cary where he couldn't see my face. Cary was always sensitive and I worried that my puzzlement might either alert him to something being wrong, or worry him. I thought back to the conversation I'd had with Adam in town only a few weeks back, the one I'd tried to put out of my mind. He'd basically admitted he didn't love Francine- or at least not the way he loved me- yet he was still marrying her. I felt sorry for her, she had no idea what a snake her husband to be was.  
  
"Why do you think we were invited?" Cary asked. "Do you think it was your father's idea?"  
  
That surprised me as Cary hardly ever mentioned my father, as though he thought talking about him would make him part of our lives or something? "I don't know." I said with a shrug.  
  
"Or maybe they wanted to show off? Show us how big a real wedding could be?" Cary asked, a bitter note in his voice.  
  
"Does it matter why they invited us?" I asked casually. For my own part I had my suspicions that it had been Adam, not Teddy, who decided that we should be invited. The conversation with him hadn't changed my opinion about him, but it had shown me that he was still carrying a torch for me. Maybe he thought if I was there, at the wedding, I might change my mind about his proposition. The idea made me sick- even if he WASN'T my half brother there was no way I'd be with Adam Jackson.  
  
"I guess not since we won't go." Cary replied, with a shrug.  
  
I turned to face him now. "We won't?" I asked.  
  
"What? You want to go?" Cary asked, his brow furrowed in confusion.  
  
"Cary the wedding is a few weeks away right? I was thinking if we hold your boat launch just before the wedding that it could be a good place for you to get some business." I said.  
  
Cary frowned deeper. "I don't know Melody. I'd feel weird asking rich people like there would be at the wedding if they wanted to let me build a boat for them.."  
  
I laughed. "Cary, if the launch goes to plan you won't be asking them anything- they'll be asking YOU!" I explained.  
  
A smile slowly lit up Cary's face. "Now that's a thought isn't it?"  
  
"It is." I agreed, and I turned back to the stove to dish up our dinner.  
  
*****  
  
The next day I left Lara with Cary, telling him I had to go into town to think about a few things for getting the boat launch going. I told him I wouldn't be long though, and kissed him on the cheek. I had no intention of doing what I'd told him though. Instead I drove to the offices where my real father practiced. They didn't hold the greatest of memories for me, having been where I'd argued with him before, but I wanted to know whose idea it was to invite me to the wedding, and what the motivation behind it was.  
  
"I'd like to speak to Mr. Jackson please." I told his secretary.  
  
She looked up at me, over her glasses and pursed her lips. "Mr. Jackson is a very busy man." She told me. "Usually an appointment is required to speak to him otherwise we'd have no order in this place."  
  
I frowned. "Could you please tell him Melody is here?" I asked. "I think he might chose to speak to me."  
  
She gave me a look indicating that she thought otherwise and then went through into my father's office. A moment later she came out and avoiding my eyes said "Mr. Jackson would like you to step right through please."  
  
I almost said "I told you so" but decided that was a little childish for me, and instead I just smiled at her briefly as I went through. My father was seated behind his desk, but as soon as I walked in he jumped up, almost like a jack in the box with springs on him. "Melody, to what do I owe this pleasure?" He asked eagerly. I realised he was delighted I'd come in to visit him- almost as if he thought that it meant I'd forgiven him or something.  
  
Without being asked I took a seat and waited for him to sit back down too before responding. "I got an invitation in the mail yesterday." I said.  
  
"Ah yes, Adam's wedding." He nodded happily. "A fine match. Francine's family have as much money as we do, and she's a very well bred lady."  
  
"Indeed." I said wondering whether he had any idea at all of his son's discontent with the whole relationship?  
  
"Yes, yes. They'll be very happy together." He continued.  
  
I decided to come to the point. "To tell you the truth, Mr. Jackson, I was surprised to receive an invitation." I admitted. "I mean we're not exactly in your close circle of friends are we now?"  
  
Was it my imagination or did the great Teddy Jackson look distinctly uncomfortable at this comment? He shifted slightly in his chair before replying. "Well Melody, you might not realise it but with your inheritance you and Cary are two of the more important members of Provincetown society now."  
  
"Oh great," I said sarcastically. "So now we can lie and cheat and get away with everything? I'd rather not be part of society thank you."  
  
"Are you going to come to the wedding?" Mr. Jackson asked.  
  
I raised an eyebrow. "Surely you realise I am not keen on that idea." I said, thinking that he must have realised it by my comments.  
  
"Melody, I am begging you to come." Mr. Jackson pleaded.  
  
I didn't know what to say. The sight of someone pleading with me to do something made me feel ill generally, but especially this someone: my real father who was one of the weakest men I'd ever met. "What makes you think I should do you any favors?" I snapped.  
  
"Melody, I overheard the conversation you and Adam were having the other week- well the end of it anyway, and put two and two together. I knew Adam liked you a lot, but I thought once he knew you were related that would be it. Unfortunately some of us can't control our urges.." He sighed as he said that.  
  
"Clearly." I said meaningfully, and he had the good grace to at least blush.  
  
"The point is Melody, if Adam sees you and Cary, with Lara at the wedding than maybe he will realise that there is no future for you two together. Maybe then he can appreciate what he has in Francine?" Mr. Jackson said.  
  
I thought for a moment. It certainly made sense, and it wasn't as if I were so much doing a favor for Mr. Jackson, or even Adam, as I were for Francine. "I'll have to think about it Mr. Jackson." I said, letting him sweat a bit, not admitting that Cary and I'd already decided to go so we could see what would happen after the boat launch.  
  
"Thank you Melody." Mr. Jackson said. "You really are a great person."  
  
That was going a little bit too far in my opinion, and I shrugged the comment off and went home. I didn't tell Cary where I'd been, he would have been hurt at me lying to him in the first place and I decided he didn't really need to know the details of the conversation. Instead we sat down at the kitchen table and got stuck into plans for the launch. 


	10. The boat launch

NINE:  
  
"Decorations- check, food- check..Is there anything else we've forgotten?" Holly asked late in the afternoon a few weeks later.  
  
"God I hope not." I said with a shudder. "Anyway if we have then it's just too bad because there's no more time. I've got to shower and get dressed, and get Lara ready."  
  
"I've got the cutest outfit for Nelson for tonight." Holly said with a grin. "He's going to be the cutest baby around- well the cutest MALE baby."  
  
I laughed. "To tell you the truth I hadn't even thought about Lara's clothing- you're more organised than me."  
  
"Lara will look cute in anything." Holly assured me. "I can't believe that she's already three months old- and Nelson's almost five months..anyway, I better get going. I've got to organise myself, Nelson and Ken."  
  
*****  
  
"Melody, are you sure this tie goes with this shirt?" Cary asked, looking at himself critically in the mirror.  
  
"Yes it goes fine." I assured him, as I put the finishing touches on my makeup. Lara was dressed and ready, and downstairs with May and Aunt Sara. Aunt Sara was taking care of a lot of the food for the night and I was pretty glad with that arrangement since she's definitely the better cook.  
  
"I don't know.." Cary said, still looking at himself in the mirror. I laughed and came over to put my arms around him.  
  
"Cary Logan you look great. Stop being so nervous." I said firmly.  
  
"I can't help it." He said with a sigh. "This night's pretty important."  
  
"Cary your work speaks for itself." I assured him. "Now let's get downstairs before any guests arrive."  
  
With another quick glance in the mirror he followed me down the stairs.  
  
May was sitting in the living room playing with Lara, and Aunt Sara was in the kitchen. Spotting me watching her May looked up and signed that she couldn't believe how big Lara was getting.  
  
I laughed, and signed back that she was getting heavy too. The doorbell rang and I hurried to answer it. Kenneth, Holly, Nelson and the judge were there and I ushered them in.  
  
"Where's my other grandchild?" The judge asked me.  
  
"In the living room with May." I said, and he went in there, while Kenneth and Cary started talking about the boat. Holly had Nelson in her arms and I laughed when I saw the outfit she'd gotten him into. It was his very own tux, complete with bow tie.  
  
"He looks adorable." I said, gushing over him.  
  
Before Holly could reply the doorbell rang again, and from then on there were a steady stream of guests. Most of the time I was playing the hostess role walking around chatting to people briefly and making sure everything was going all right. The plan was to go down to the boat ramp at exactly eight o'clock for the launch. I'd convinced Cary to break a bottle of champagne over the boat's hull but it had been hard work convincing him. First he said it was too show-offy, and then he claimed it was a waste of good money, and lastly he argued that it would ruin the boat. Eventually he agreed.  
  
There was a tap on my shoulder and I spun round to see Mr. Jackson. "Wonderful party Melody." He said to me.  
  
"Thank you." I said stiffly. "And where is your lovely wife tonight?"  
  
"She's at home. She wasn't feeling too well." Mr. Jackson replied equally as formally. At least, I thought, you'd never be able to tell we were father and daughter from our stilted conversations.  
  
"Oh, I hope she's feeling better soon." I said politely.  
  
"I'm sure she will be- it was just one of her migraines." Mr. Jackson replied.  
  
"Well that's all right then. You must excuse me- I've got a few things to do before the launch." I said, and I hurried off frowning. I hadn't known he was coming, but I supposed it made sense. I just didn't feel comfortable in his company.  
  
"What's the frown for?" Cary asked catching hold of my arm.  
  
"Mr. Jackson." I replied making a face.  
  
He laughed. "If it makes you feel any better Melody he probably regrets his actions when you act like you do towards him." He said.  
  
I was shocked. "You mean you think I should be nicer to him?" I asked incredulously.  
  
"No-oo." Cary said slowly. "But he IS your father Melody, and since losing Dad I kind of appreciate the whole parent thing more."  
  
I was about to respond when Aunt Sara came up to us. "Here dear," she said to me, pushing a plate heaped with mini pies and sausage rolls on it into my arms. "The guests are probably hungry."  
  
"Right Aunt Sara." I replied, and I gave Cary a look which plainly said 'This conversation is NOT over.' I hurried off with the food. In the living room May now had Lara and Nelson. She signed to me that she thought Lara and Nelson would make a great couple. I laughed and said it was far too early to be thinking of things like that, and not to tell Cary or Lara wouldn't be allowed anywhere near Nelson ever again. I was stopped for a few minutes by the judge who told me how cute Lara was getting, and how he wished that Samuel and Olivia were still alive to see her. I didn't point out that whilst Samuel may be happy about it, Olivia would certainly not have been happy.  
  
At ten to eight Cary came up to me. "We better start getting everyone down to the boat ramp." He said.  
  
"Sure." I agreed, and then added. "And later on we've got to have a talk about my father."  
  
Cary rolled his eyes. "Melody can't you just leave it?"  
  
"No I can't just leave it Cary Logan. I am surprised that you'd even say something like that. He might be my father but it's in name only- well not even really that." I replied angrily.  
  
"Okay, okay." Cary said holding out his hands in a classic "I surrender" pose. "But for the moment do you think you could help me get people down to the boat ramp?"  
  
I nodded.  
  
*****  
  
"Ladies and Gentlemen." Cary called over the noise of the assembled group. "Could I please have your attention?" He looked uncomfortable at the fact that he was the center of attention, but at the same time I saw the look of determination in his eyes. He knew that this could make or break his business. Everyone stopped speaking and looked up at Cary expectantly.  
  
"As you all know this party tonight is to celebrate not only the launching of Mr. Hamilton's boat but also to let you know a bit about my business. I've already built a boat for both Kenneth and Nelson Childs, and this here is my third one. You would all also know that before my father, Jacob, died I spent a lot of my time on his boat fishing for lobsters. But every moment I was on that boat I dreamt of making my own boats, of making a business out of it. For me boat building isn't just a business though- it's a passion. It's something I love to do, something which makes me feel alive. Living on the Cape here we all know what it's like to feel free and alive out on the ocean. Well building boats makes me feel free and alive!" Cary paused and glanced over at me. I nodded with a smile on my face. He had refused to let me see his speech beforehand. "It's not much of a speech," He'd told me. "You know me- I'm not much for words.but it's all from my heart." And it really was. I noticed with a smile, that everyone was hanging onto his every word. "So with great pleasure I ask Mr. Hamilton to come up here and christen this boat."  
  
Mr. Hamilton, Provincetown's doctor, went up to the boat and picked up the bottle of champagne. He held it up and everyone cheered, and then he smashed it against the boat's hull.  
  
I saw Cary wince as it hit, and then smile. "And now," He cried. "Let the party continue."  
  
I hurried over to him. "Cary that speech was great." I told him, hugging him tightly. "I am so proud of you."  
  
"Well it wasn't quite your valedictorian speech was it?" He replied.  
  
"It was better." I assured him. "For someone who doesn't like to speak in public, nor is a big fan of English, it was great. Like you said it was from the heart and that's what makes a good speech."  
  
"So you've gotten over your anger then?" He asked as we began to walk back towards the house.  
  
"What?" I asked confused.  
  
"About your father." He reminded me.  
  
I waved it off. "Oh that, yeah, that's no problem." I said.  
  
"I was just trying to be helpful." Cary explained. "I mean you don't really have a father figure in your life-"  
  
"I've got my grandfather!" I reminded him.  
  
"Yeah, true." Cary said as we reached the house. "Now that I've done my speech I think I deserve a beer- what about you?"  
  
"I think I might have a glass of wine." I decided. "And lets have some fun!"  
[A/N. I know this chapter is shorter than usual, and in my opinion, definitely not as good as usual, but I didn't really know what to put in it. I've never been to a boat launch in my life, so I have no clues about it. The next chapter- a blast from the past- will be far more interesting...] 


	11. Bad news

[A/N. As per usual it has been a long time since I've updated this story..or any story for that matter, but I am trying to be a bit better. I really want to go on to my next story, the third one in the series which will be called "The Oriole's Opera" but I realise I've got to finish this one first, and luckily I still have some ideas for this one. And like I've said in the past I am determined to finish this one before beginning the next one. Anyway, I hope you're still enjoying this and I apoligise if this chapter isn't as good as it could be.]  
  
TEN:  
  
After the boat launch Cary received three more orders for boats and he spent hours down in his workshop in the next few weeks. Sometimes he didn't even come up for lunch, so I'd take something down for him, with Lara on my hip. I couldn't put her down with the floor being so dirty and there being too much for her to get into now she was beginning to crawl a little bit, so I didn't stay down there long. Most of my time was spent up in the house, and when Lara was sleeping I began to play the fiddle again.  
  
It took me back to when I was a child and I'd play for my mother, the man I thought was my father, Papa George and Mama Arlene. I remembered especially one night in particular, not too long before my stepfather was killed in the mining accident. It was getting cold, but I was on a roll and I didn't want to go inside. Mama Arlene got up and told me that she'd love to stay out and listen but her arthritis was killing her so she'd have to listen from inside. Soon my stepfather and Papa George also ventured inside, but my mother stayed there, gazing off into the distance almost as if she were in a trance. In fact her zombie like state began to creep me out a little, so I stopped and said it was too cold. She came back to the moment then. "With a talent like that Melody one day you are going to be famous. One day you're going to get away from here- from us- and show everyone what you're made of." I'd shook my head earnestly. "No Mommy, I don't want to go away from here, from you or Daddy." I assured her. She'd grabbed my arm then as we were walking back towards our trailer, and we'd stopped. In the moonlight her eyes glittered as she spoke. "Melody, you're better than this, than here! You might not think so now but you are. Don't get stuck here Melody- go and get the fame that I never had." I was surprised. "Did you want to be famous Mommy?" I'd asked. She'd sighed, a tired sigh. "Doesn't everyone?" She'd asked. "I wanted to be an actress or a model when I was growing up Melody, but it never happened. I don't want the same thing to happen to you- don't get married and have children too young. Promise me Melody? Promise?" And like any child I'd promised. I sighed and shook my head to get rid of the unwelcome thoughts. I hadn't spoken to my mother since I'd left LA and decided I'd have nothing more to do with her. Obviously they'd received the money I had promised them because I hadn't heard from her.  
  
Lara's cry brought me out of my melancholy thoughts. I hurried upstairs to get her. As I held her against me I vowed that I'd always be there for her no matter what happened, and that never, ever would I act like my mother had done. Even though I'd had Lara early in life it hadn't affected me like my mother had told me it would. Cary and I had a nice house, enough money to live comfortably, and a gorgeous child. What could possibly have been bad about that?  
  
*****  
  
The phone's ringing meant I had to put down the vegetables I was preparing for that night's dinner and hurry to answer it. "Hello?" I asked, a little breathless.  
  
"Melody- something terrible has happened." Holly was crying through her words and I felt my heart jump into my throat.  
  
"Calm down Holly, tell me what's happened." I said, praying that nothing had happened to her, Nelson, Kenneth or my grandfather.  
  
"It's Billy." She managed to get out. "Billy's had an accident and he's in hospital- but it doesn't look good. They don't think he's going to make it."  
  
I dropped into the chair near me in shock.  
  
"Marina called me. He was in a car accident in the van and the other driver ran a red light, and collided with the van. Marina was hurt but not badly. Billy's side got the majority of the impact." Holly continued.  
  
I still couldn't speak. I felt as though my tongue had swollen up so that even if I tried to speak I was incapable of words.  
  
"Melody? Are you there?" Holly asked.  
  
"I'm here." I croaked.  
  
"The thing is- Billy's been asking for you Melody. That's why Marina rang me, to get in touch with you. He wants to see you." Holly said.  
  
I shook my head, even though Holly wasn't able to see it. "I can't go to New York. Cary's very busy with his boats at the moment, and I don't want to take Lara there..."  
  
Holly was silent a moment. And then she asked "Don't you think you owe it to Billy to go Melody?"  
  
I was shocked. "What do you mean?"  
  
"Oh come on Melody, Billy and I're friends- we tell each other things. I know all about what happened between you two, and I think you should go and see him. He's dying Melody and he wants to see you." Holly's voice was harsher than usual. I'd only ever heard her speak to me in this tone once before, and I realised that also had something to do with Billy.  
  
"What do I tell Cary? What do I do with Lara?" I asked.  
  
"Tell Cary you're going to see a friend who might not survive. He knows you were in New York with Billy even if he doesn't know the full details. And as for Lara I can look after her during the day- Nelson would love the company." Holly replied.  
  
"Looks like you've got it all worked out." I said a touch bitterly.  
  
"Melody," Holly sounded more like her usual self. "I know it might be hard for you- but it's his dying wish. And even though you're married to Cary now you once had feelings for Billy- or thought you did- and it's only the right thing to do."  
  
"Okay." I said softly. "I've got to go speak to Cary. I'll call you back."  
We hung up and I took a deep breath. I knew that going to see Billy was the right thing to do, but that didn't make it any easier. Although we'd managed to part on fairly good terms I knew what I'd done wasn't fair to Billy, and I didn't much like the idea of having to face the music. I got Lara from the living room where she'd been lying, and I went down to the workshop where Cary was so busy hammering away he didn't hear me until I was right next to him, and then he jumped a mile.  
  
"You wouldn't want to sneak up on me would you?" He asked, putting down his hammer and taking Lara from my arms.  
  
"Um Cary, I've got to go to New York for a few days." I blurted it out, not really sure how to broach the subject.  
  
Cary raised an eyebrow. "New York?" He repeated. "Why?"  
  
"Well you know when I was there last-"  
  
"-Not exactly the time I want to think about." Cary interjected. "When you could have been here with me. You're not thinking of running away again are you? Because I'm pretty sure we're not related."  
  
I laughed weakly. "No I'm not running away. Do you remember I told you I stayed with a friend of Holly's called Billy? She left him in charge of her shop when she married Kenneth and moved here. And then I met him when I went to see my mother the first time?"  
  
"Vaguely." Cary replied, smiling as Lara gurgled at him. "He was in a wheelchair wasn't he? I remember you saying you were impressed at how strong a person he was. That the one?"  
  
I nodded slowly. "Yes, that's Billy. The thing is- I just had a call from Holly- and Billy was in a car accident. They don't expect him to live."  
  
"That's terrible." Cary said. "The poor guy. And that's why you need to go to New York?"  
  
I nodded.  
  
"Well you have to go don't you? You can't not. I guess I'll just have to arrange something for Lara, or I could take some time off work I suppose.." Cary said.  
  
"Oh Holly said she can look after him during the day. Company for Nelson and all." I said.  
  
"She's not going?" Cary asked surprised.  
  
"No, well he's asking for me so I thought I better go." I said.  
  
Cary's eyes narrowed slightly. "He's asking for you?" He repeated.  
  
I bit my lip. I hadn't meant to say that. "Apparently. Who knows? Maybe he wants to leave me his vegan cookbooks since I was the only one who really loved that food?" I asked, making light of the fact that Billy had asked for me.  
  
"I guess so. When are you planning on going?" Cary asked.  
  
"Tomorrow." I replied, glad that Cary had accepted my flimsy explanation.  
  
"Okay." Cary said handing Lara back to me. "I hope he's all right- do they really think he won't live?"  
  
I nodded. "They seem pretty sure of it. Although I've no idea of his injuries. I'll call you from New York though and let you know what's going on. I shouldn't be there more than a few days." I explained.  
  
"Take as long as you need." Cary said. "I can't think of anything worse than lying there knowing I'm going to die..I hope when I go I go quick."  
  
I shuddered. "Don't even talk about such things Cary Logan." I scolded him. "It's going to be a long way off yet so I don't even want to think about it."  
  
"Yes Mam." He teased me.  
  
"I better go and get some things organised. And don't be late for dinner or it'll be cold like it was last night and you'll complain about it again." I said as I left the workshop and hurried back to the house. As I phoned the airline to make a reservation I wished I was going anywhere but New York, and to see anyone but Billy. I knew it was wrong of me to think like that, but I had tried to put that part of my life out of my mind once Cary and I had married, and I didn't want to think of how much I had hurt Billy by doing what I had. But on the other hand I knew there was no possibility of me not going: I had to tell him I was sorry, and there was something else he had to know as well. 


	12. Billy

[A/N. I still don't know whether or not I really like this story. Sometimes I like it, and other times I read it and think blah! But like I keep saying I am determined to finish it before I begin "The Oriole's Opera."]  
  
ELEVEN:  
  
As the plane flew towards New York I leant my head against the window and stared out into the white clouds. They looked like marshmallows and for a little while I occupied my mind by thinking about how it would feel to touch them. But inevitably my mind drifted back to the reason I was flying to New York: Billy. I wondered how it would feel to see him again. It had been awhile now, but even the time hadn't changed my feelings. I knew my actions had hurt Billy terribly, and how could they not have? He'd told me he understood, but that didn't mean he really did. I sighed and shifted in my seat.  
  
The man beside me threw me an annoyed glance. "First time flying?" He asked me. He was dressed neatly in a gray business suit and had been reading a journal during the flight, and looked as though he were in his mid to late forties.  
  
"Oh no-I've flown a few times before." I replied.  
  
"Ah- you just seem kind of restless to me so I thought it might have been your first time flying." He said.  
  
I smiled slightly at that comment. "Yeah, well I am pretty restless." I admitted. "I'd much rather be home than going to New York, but I guess sometimes you have to do things you don't want to do."  
  
"You're telling me." He said. "It's my daughter's birthday today and we were having her and her husband and children over for a meal, and then I get called to this urgent meeting. I don't know- movie stars these days- or should I say ones who think they're movie stars but aren't really?"  
  
I frowned. My mother thought she was going to become a movie star so I knew only too well what he meant. Just thinking about her reminded me that the last time I'd been on a plane had been coming back to the Cape after seeing her. I don't know why, but it seemed as though I had been thinking about her quite a bit in the last few days.  
  
"What-don't you like movie stars?" The man asked me.  
  
"Not really no- what's her name? Your client I mean?" I asked.  
  
"Sorry, I don't think I can tell you that. Client confidentiality and all that." The man replied.  
  
"Oh, it's just I know someone who's trying to become a movie star, but I haven't really heard from her in awhile." I explained. "I hadn't though of her for awhile but now I sometimes seem to find myself wondering how Gina is. Not that I miss Archie mind you."  
  
A strange look crossed the man's face. "Who?" He asked.  
  
"Gina Simons." I said. "That's my friend."  
  
He started laughing, and I stared at him surprised. Below me the skyline of New York came into view and the pilot's voice came over the loudspeaker telling us to make sure we had our seatbelts buckled and our seats in their right position for the descent into New York.  
  
"It can be such a small world can't it?" The man said shaking his head. "You see the person I am flying to New York to see is none other than my client Gina Simons. I'm her lawyer and she wanted to see me urgently about suing someone."  
  
"Suing someone?" I repeated. "Is she in trouble?" I wondered why I actually cared after all my mother had done to me- to her very own daughter, but despite this I still cared.  
  
"Not trouble as such." The man replied. "A magazine published pictures of her which she finds distasteful and she wants to sue them. I tried to explain to her that if she can be seen as a public figure due to having been in movies, it might not be so easy to sue. But she insisted I fly out right this second."  
  
"That would be right." I said wryly. My mother had always been the sort of person who wanted what she wanted right now.  
  
The plane was coming in for it's landing and all thoughts of my mother flew out of my mind. I thought again of Billy, and wondered whether perhaps I should have brought Lara to see him since I was pretty sure that she was his daughter. Each day it seemed she looked more like him than anyone else, but nobody had really commented on it yet.  
  
"Are you going to see her when you're here?" The man asked as the plane roughly landed.  
  
"No- I've got to see someone who is in hospital and they don't expect to live." I replied. "And then I have to get back home to my husband and daughter."  
  
"Well maybe," He suggested as we taxied up to the terminal. "You'd like me to give her a message from you?"  
  
I smiled slowly. "Sure. Tell her Melody said hi." I agreed. I could just imagine the look on my mother's face when she got that message.  
  
"Is that all?" He asked surprised.  
  
"Tell her also that Cary and I've got a daughter now, Cary's business is going great guns and we couldn't be happier. Tell her it's getting closer every day to when we get all the money." I replied. That last bit would really annoy my mother knowing how she felt about money. It was hard to believe I had been able to buy off my own mother, and even now that angered me. But I didn't want this strange man to think that I was angry, or even upset.  
  
"Okay, I'll let her know." The man said as we got off the plane. "And I hope something wonderful happens and your friend is all right."  
  
That brought my mind back to the reason I was in New York: Billy. Outside the airport I hailed a taxi and had them take me directly to the hospital where Billy was. As the cab drove along I stared out the window at the place which had been home to me for a few months. Strangely enough it didn't feel like home now, for me home was where Cary and Lara were. The cab stopped in front of the hospital entrance and I paid the driver and walked inside. I went up to the nurse's station. "My name is Melody Logan and I'm here to see Billy-" I began but the nurse interrupted me.  
  
"Melody Logan- there's a note here telling you to go straight in. It's good you came because I don't know how much longer he's going to hold on for." She said.  
  
I was shocked. "I didn't realise it was that bad." I said softly.  
  
"Internal injuries." The nurse replied nonchalantly. "Car accidents are not pretty Miss Logan."  
  
I didn't bother to correct her and tell her it was Mrs. Logan. Instead I asked where Billy was, and was given instructions. Outside his room I stopped and took a deep breath, wondering what I was going to see in there. I've never been great with sickness and injuries before, but I've never been bad either. I took another deep breath and walked into the room. Billy was lying in the bed, and I was shocked to see all the tubes and machines. I must have made some noise, because the woman seated beside him looked up. Her eyes met mine.  
  
"Melody?" She asked.  
  
"Marina?" I asked.  
  
We both nodded, and she stood up. "It's good you came. Billy asks for you when he's conscious." She told me.  
  
"Is he conscious often?" I asked, and my eyes slid to the bed. Billy's face was so pale it was gray.  
  
"He has his moments." She explained. "But they're not all that often. The doctors have suggested he can hear me, but perhaps he doesn't want to open his eyes and speak to me..I don't know. I worry he blames me for the accident since I was driving, and look at me..I got off pretty much scott free when the man I love is lying there, fighting for his life." She said.  
  
I didn't know what to say to that, so I said nothing.  
  
"To tell you the truth I didn't think you'd come. From what Billy's said about you, well you didn't strike me as the sort of person who cared." She said coldly.  
  
I was shocked. So she knew everything then? And Billy had said these things to her- he must have been even more hurt than I had thought he was.  
  
She caught the look on my face. "Oh don't worry, Billy wouldn't speak ill of you. I'm just telling you the way I see it." She assured me.  
  
"I didn't mean to hurt him." I said, feeling like a kid who had to defend themselves from someone.  
  
"I'm sure you didn't." She replied, her tone implying otherwise. "I've got to go and do a few things. You can have some time alone with him- but try not to stay too long or the nurses will be annoyed." She went back to her chair and picked up her jacket and bag, and then leant over Billy, kissed him on the cheek and whispered something. Then she left the room, and I was alone with him.  
  
I took yet another deep breath and went to the chair she'd vacated. I looked at him. His eyes were closed, and his breathing seemed pretty easy. If it weren't for all the tubes coming out from him I might have thought he was just asleep. I picked up his limp hand. "Billy, it's me, Melody. Billy can you open your eyes please? I want to tell you something."  
  
There was no response, and I tried again. "Please Billy, you've got to hear this." I said.  
  
Still no response and I sighed and looked away, thinking back to my time in New York. I knew I'd never loved Billy like I should have loved him, but with Cary in my mind all the time it was too hard to do anything else. And even though leaving him had been hard I knew Cary was the one I belonged with.  
  
"Melody?" Billy whispered and I turned back to him. His eyes were open, and his lips curved in a faint smile. "You came."  
  
"Of course I came." I said trying to sound bright and cheerful. "And when are you going to get your butt up and out of bed hmm?"  
  
"I'm going to die." Billy said, and I felt tears prick at my eyes.  
  
"Billy!" I scolded. "Don't say things like that."  
  
"It's the truth." He said calmly. "It doesn't bother me now- I know it is going to happen and there is nothing I can do about it."  
  
I didn't know what to say to that, but I shook my head.  
  
"The thing is Melody- well death is like the next adventure for me. Life hasn't always been that great, maybe death will be different?" Billy wondered.  
  
"Billy, you can't die. You've got things to live for. What about Marina? She loves you very much." I told him.  
  
"She thinks she loves me. And then when times get tough, or something happens, she'll leave." Billy said firmly.  
  
I felt sick- was he thinking like this because of what I'd done to him? Had my actions been a lot worse than I had thought they were? "Listen Billy- about what happened, about how I went b-"  
  
"Don't Melody." Billy interrupted his voice firmer than it had been since I'd arrived. "I don't want to talk about that."  
  
I nodded. We were silent for awhile before Billy spoke again. "I've seen a photo of Lara." He said.  
  
I was shocked. "You have? How?"  
  
"Holly sent me one from the Christening." Billy replied.  
  
I frowned, wondering why Holly would have done that.  
  
"Cute kid..reminds me a lot of the photos of myself and my sister when we were babies." Billy said, a small smile on his face again. I frowned, was he trying to tell me that he knew Lara was his?  
  
"She is a cute kid." I agreed. "And she's very smart, very good..we love her very much."  
  
Billy nodded. "I should hope so..Melody, are you ever going to tell her she's mine?" He asked.  
  
So he did know! "I don't know." I admitted. I hadn't thought of it because it would also then mean letting Cary know he wasn't really her father, and that would kill him.  
  
"Well even if you don't," Billy said weakly. "At least I will die knowing I've done something worthwhile." He looked as though he was getting tired, and I remembered Marina's comments about not staying too long.  
  
"Billy," I assured him, squeezing his hand. "You've done something great. Lara is wonderful, and she's going to grow up into a beautiful, happy person. I can't thank you enough for giving me her, even if I've never said so before."  
  
A tear rolled down Billy's cheek. "Thank you." He whispered back, and then he sighed. "I'm tired Melody. I think I might go to sleep."  
  
"Okay Billy," I said softly. "And then when you wake up Marina will be back here and you'll see the love in her eyes and know you must fight for your life."  
  
Billy shook his head slowly. "I think it's too late for that." He told me, and his eyes closed. His head seemed to roll onto the side, and his hand went even limper. I knew instinctively that he was dead. Holding his hand I sat there crying for awhile. Crying for the fact that I'd hurt him even though he'd refused to blame me for it or even speak about it. Crying for the fact that Lara had just lost a father, even if she'd never know so.  
  
Eventually I dried my eyes and left the room. I found the nurse's station and told them that I thought he might be dying. The nurse didn't look surprised. "He's lived a few days longer than we expected to tell you the truth." She told me, as she paged the doctor and then hurried to Billy's room. I didn't stay. 


	13. A woman scorned

[A/N. This chapter isn't very long, but I made myself a promise to upload new chapters to all my stories over this weekend, from March 11-13. Also it will turn out to be a pivotal chapter for later on in this story, which will be 20 chapters in total, before the sequel begins.]  
  
THIRTEEN:  
  
I wasn't planning on staying in New York until I got a phone call at my hotel from Marina. "Have you got time for a coffee?" She asked, her voice hoarse from crying.  
  
"I really should get home to my husband and daughter." I said, hedging, not only because I wanted to be home instead of there but also because the woman didn't exactly seem warm towards me.  
  
"A husband and daughter- something I am never going to have now." Marina said slowly. "I think you should meet me. There's something I want to talk to you about."  
  
I sighed. "Okay, I'll meet you."  
  
*****  
  
Half an hour later I walked into the coffee shop Marina had specified we meet at. I spotter her straight away, her eyes were down, and her hair was a mess. Almost as though she had noticed me there she looked up and her eyes met mine. To my complete shock in her eyes there was pure hate as she directed her gaze at me. I took a deep breath and walked over to the table where she was sitting, and took a seat.  
  
"I didn't think you'd come." She said to me.  
  
"I wasn't going to." I replied, but I didn't add that it had been curiosity which had gotten the better of me.  
  
She sighed, and ran a hand through her hair. "Now that Billy's no longer here I decided to tell you something which you're not going to like, but I think you should know." Now there was something in her eyes which I couldn't place, but it was cold, and I didn't think I wanted to place it. "I'm sure you know how much you hurt Billy. What you did, well it was the kind of thing that only a cold-hearted bitch would do."  
  
I winced. "I don't think you-" I began, but she interrupted me with a bitter laugh.  
  
"What were you going to say? That I don't know what I am talking about?" She snapped. "I know only too well what I am talking about when I consider the fact that I was never the only one in Billy's heart- or in his bed. I felt like I was always sharing him with you, being compared to you, even though you treated him badly."  
  
"Billy said he understood." I said slowly. "In fact in the hospital he woke up, and he told me that it was all right."  
  
"Of course he did." She snapped. "God forbid hurting his precious Melody."  
  
I'd never heard my name spoken in such a contemptuous tone, and it hurt, even from a stranger. I couldn't speak though, I couldn't defend myself.  
  
"Do you want to know what happened the day of the car accident?" Marina asked, her eyes glittering with that strange look I was still unable to place. I wanted to speak up and tell her that no, I didn't want to hear, but my voice still seemed to have deserted me. "The day of the accident we got into another argument about you. Billy was suggesting we fly to visit Holly, purely on the pretence of seeing you and Lara of course, and I vetoed the idea. See, he'd been sick, and I claimed he wouldn't be strong enough to be up to it yet. The day of the argument I'd convinced his doctor to tell him what I wanted him to hear. My main motivation of course was that I didn't want him to see you or the baby, but I was also motivated by his health. Despite what you might think of me I did love Billy, and I was convinced he was the man of my dreams. Billy must have guessed that I had been the one behind the doctor's decision and we had a huge argument about you, and it ended up with me telling him that until he forgot you we couldn't be together. He snapped that he didn't think he would ever be able to forget you, and I was furious. He had an appointment with his specialist and I knew he couldn't get there without me, so even though we were barely talking, I still took him there. On the way home we got into another argument- a continuation of the mornings one- and the last thing Billy said before the accident was that I wasn't even half the woman you were. I was preoccupied with this and that's how the accident happened. Afterwards of course I felt terrible. I loved Billy, and I didn't want him to die. I tried to tell him this, but he just lay in that bed ignoring me. He didn't speak for a few days until the nurse told me that he'd been asking for Melody. I felt sick- I'd been looking after him and caring for him, loving him, and this was what I got. Still, the nurse suggested I call this Melody since it could be the catalyst for bringing Billy back to us, for him wanting to live. So I called you. And you came. And you were the only one he spoke to. One of the nurses told me she heard you two talking before he died. He didn't speak to me, but he spoke to you. And you know what? I hate you for that. I really, really hate you." Her long speech over she stared at me malevolently.  
  
I shifted in my chair. It was hard to take it all in- not only had Billy never gotten over me, but in the end I had been at least in part, responsible for his accident. "Why did you tell me this?" I asked softly.  
  
"What's the matter?" she snapped. "Does it hurt you? Well trust me Melody, it's going to hurt me far more, and for far longer. You'll go back to your happy little life, and Billy won't even be given a second thought."  
  
"You're wrong!" I snapped back, finding my voice properly. "You're so wrong about me. I know I didn't exactly do the right thing by Billy, but he understood. He knew I'd never have been happy if I hadn't gone back to Cary, and he knew that he wouldn't have been happy if I wasn't happy. And you're also wrong about the way he felt about you- he loved you."  
  
"Right." She said, clearly not believing me as she stood up. "Mark my words Melody Logan, you're going to pay for this, if it's the last thing I do, I am going to make sure you're really sorry for what you did to Billy."  
  
And then she left the coffee shop, leaving me alone at the table with everyone staring at me. A waitress approached cautiously, and handed me the bill. It turns out Marina had been there for awhile and had a few coffees, plus a sandwich. I sighed as I paid for it, and then left and made my way back to the hotel.  
  
Even though it was fairly cold as winter was beginning to arrive I walked slowly to give myself time to think. Marina's comments about me didn't bother me too much since I'd spoken to Billy and I knew how he felt, however her vow for revenge was a bit of a concern. But what I was thinking about was the tarot cards Holly had read for me awhile back. The seven of swords had come up in my reading indicating that there were obstacles in my path. Holly had looked thoughtful as it came up and she'd said "This card indicates lies and mistrust, and possible dealings with a dangerous opponent. But the message appears to be to fight for what you believe in, for what you believe belongs to you." Despite myself I couldn't help but shiver; was there actually something in those cards after all? 


	14. Cary's secret

[A/N. This was the chapter that was never going to be written, but I decided that it would be nice to have the same amount of chapters in this story, as there are in the first story. And that means there are only a few chapters to go. I have an interesting plot worked out too, which is good. And then after that I can begin the third, of four stories in the series.]  
  
FOURTEEN:  
  
I sighed as the plane landed in Provincetown and searched the crowds eagerly as I walked out into the airport.  
  
"MELODY!" Cary called, waving enthusiastically. He was carrying Lara in his arms, and she looked as though she too were happy to have me back.  
  
I took a deep breath before I walked over there, after all there were many things about this trip I couldn't tell Cary. We'd never really spoken about Billy before, so I was pretty sure he didn't know what kind of a relationship Billy and I had shared. And he certainly didn't know that Lara was really Billy's daughter, not his.  
  
"Hi." I said, taking Lara into my arms. "Did you miss me?"  
  
"Stupid question." Cary said. "I know you were only gone a few days but still.." He shrugged.  
  
I smiled and leant over to kiss him. "I missed you too." I said.  
  
"Well, let's get out of here." Cary said, and he took the bag I'd been carrying off me, and we walked outside towards the car. It wasn't until Lara was settled in the back and we were on the way home that he asked me about Billy.  
  
"He died." I said slowly.  
  
"That's awful." Cary sounded genuinely unhappy. "I guess now isn't exactly the time to tell you my good news."  
  
"No- tell me." I begged.  
  
"It can wait until later Melody. Your friend just died." Cary assured me.  
  
I nodded. I suppose he was right, and then something occurred to me. "Do you think we could stop at Holly's place?"  
  
Cary frowned. "Aren't you tired after your flight and the trip and all?" He asked.  
  
"I am, but I didn't ring Holly when I was in New York to let her know what had happened. I should have, but I didn't. I better tell her now. Billy was her friend too." I said.  
  
Cary shrugged and a few minutes later we turned off onto the road which lead to Holly and Kenneth's place. As usual Cary grumbled that they should fix the road. When we pulled up Kenneth was out the front with Nelson, and he waved to us. "We're making good use of this sunny day and going for a walk." He told us. "Me and Nelson that is. Hard to believe summer's almost upon us isn't it?"  
  
I got out of the car. "Is Holly busy?"  
  
"If you count cleaning as busy she is." Kenneth said, and then his face sobered up. "Are you all right Melody?"  
  
I nodded, not trusting my voice.  
  
"Well you go on in and see her, Cary maybe you and Lara might like to come for a walk with Nelson and I?" Kenneth asked. Cary agreed and got Lara out of the car. I stood watching a moment and then went inside the house.  
  
Holly was on her knees cleaning out a cupboard in the kitchen, but when she heard my footsteps she got up. "You're back?"  
  
"Yeah." I said, glancing around the kitchen with a slight smile. "Spring cleaning?"  
  
"Something like that." Holly admitted with a grin. "Take a seat and don't mind me, I've got to get this place back into some semblance of order before tonight or it will never be done."  
  
I nodded, and took a seat.  
  
"So, how was New York?" Holly asked, but before I could say anything she burst out with "Listen Melody, I've got to tell you that I'm sorry for being grumpy about Billy. I practically forced you onto that plane, and I shouldn't have. I suppose it's just when it comes to Billy I'm a bit protective. In a way I almost think of him as my little brother. And I realised, after you left, that whenever I talk about Billy lately I can be really pushy, and quite rude to you. I was blaming it on lack of sleep with Nelson but I-"  
  
I couldn't take it anymore and I interrupted. "HOLLY! Don't be sorry. I had to go, and even though it was hard, I'm glad I went."  
  
She smiled. "Thank god, that's taken a load off my mind." She said with a sigh. And then her smile faded. "He died though, didn't he?"  
  
"How did you know?" I asked, without thinking. Then I went red. "I mean, yes, he died."  
  
She laughed a funny sort of laugh. "I knew it because I saw it in the crystal ball I got the other week." She said. "I just..did he..well, when he died, was he happy?"  
  
I nodded, for the second time in practically as many minutes I wasn't capable of speech.  
  
Holly bowed her head for a few moments, and then looked up. "He was a good man."  
  
"I know." I said.  
  
Holly pulled a few pots and pans out of the cupboard. "You know I think Kenneth has probably never used some of these things, and I know I haven't used them since I moved in." She commented with a grin.  
  
"Cary wouldn't even know where we kept things like that in our house." I said with a laugh. "Ask him where any tools are, or anything like that, and he'd be right, but pots and pans, no chance."  
  
"Men hmm?" Holly said with a laugh. "Why do we put up with them?"  
  
"Because we're crazy..and we love them." I replied.  
  
"I always knew you and Cary would end up together. Since the day I first saw you both together, and you weren't even together then, but I knew it. No matter what happened in the interim." Holly told me.  
  
"I wish you had of told me that." I said, with a laugh.  
  
"So, what do you think of Cary's big news?" Holly asked me.  
  
"I haven't heard it. He said something about having something to tell me, but that it wasn't the time when Billy had just died." I said, wondering what it could be. "What is it?"  
  
Holly laughed and shook her head. "I'm not going to tell you- it's not my news is it?"  
  
"Please?" I asked sweetly, and she just shook her head.  
  
I watched as she continued tidying things for a moment, and then heard voices outside, signaling the return of our husbands and children. And then something occurred to me. "Holly, did your crystal ball ever tell you anything about Lara?"  
  
She stood up quickly. "What do you mean?" she asked, and for a moment I thought I saw an expression of fear cross her face, but it disappeared so fast I wasn't sure I had seen it at all.  
  
"About her father." I said slowly. I hadn't been planning on asking this to anyone ever, it was going to be my little secret, but I wondered whether Holly had ever known, and I wanted to tell her something about it.  
  
"No," She said slowly. "But Billy and I put two and two together awhile ago."  
  
"So you've known and not said anything to me?" I asked shocked. I would have thought, Holly being Holly, she would have mentioned it to me. She wasn't exactly the type of person to not speak her mind!  
  
"I guessed it wasn't exactly the sort of thing you wanted to talk about." Holly said with a smile. "And don't worry- I'm not mad at you. I'd have done the same thing."  
  
I nodded, and then told her about how I'd told Billy how he had done something with his life- giving me a daughter I loved more than I could express, and he had died happily.  
  
Holly was silent a moment, and then she said, in a choked voice. "Thank you for telling me that Melody. It makes me rest easier, and I know it can't have been too easy for you to have told me that."  
  
"HEY! You girls still gossiping?" Kenneth called as they came into the kitchen.  
  
"No," I said with a smile, feeling a lot better than I had before. "I'm ready to go home and have a rest. Travelling can really tire you out."  
  
I got up, and Holly stood up too. "We'll see you at the wedding on the weekend?" She asked me. "We're leaving Nelson with Nelson."  
  
I laughed. "Which one is babysitting which?" I joked. "And do you think he'd mind looking after Lara too? I would ask Aunt Sara, but it turns out that she and May are going into the city on a shopping trip- May's finally convinced her that she needs some new clothes for summer."  
  
"I remember when she was just a kid." Kenneth said with a sigh. "Matter of fact, I remember when you two were just kids too."  
  
"He's getting sentimental in his old age." Holly told me with a laugh, putting her arm around him. "And I'm sure Nelson would love having another child to look after. After all Lara's his Granddaughter of sorts."  
  
As we drove off I turned to Cary, a determined look on my face. "What's this big news Holly was hinting at?" I demanded. 


	15. Cary's dream and plans are made

[A/N. I've finally been able to sit down here and write some more, but I can't sit down for long periods of time and write, so even though I am uploading this chapter I probably won't be uploading as often as usual for the next few weeks. I have psyio and rehab, plus I've got Uni exams coming up very soon (for one of them they're changing what I've got to do to help me which is really, really cool). I'm still not walking properly and am still on painkillers. As a matter of fact as I write this now I'm still feeling light headed from my last lot of painkillers so if there is some stupid, obvious mistake in here blame the medication!]  
  
FIFTEEN:  
  
Cary was grinning like a Cheshire cat and clearly there was no way he could keep his secret a moment longer without exploding. "Well it's like this- you know the boat I built for Mr. Hamilton?"  
  
"Could I forget?" I joked. "Yes, I know the boat."  
  
"Well a few people have been very impressed with my boat building skills. So impressed that they want to back me." Cary explained.  
  
"Back you?" I was confused. I knew what he meant in the technical sense of the word, but Cary was one of those extremely stubborn, extremely proud people, and with my inheritance coming in a few years we didn't really need the help, although I knew Cary would have liked the money a bit earlier.  
  
"I knew you'd think like that." Cary said with a smile. "I'll still be my own boss, but they think that perhaps it would be good for the area if we were to say open a factory and then bring workers and their families here, good for the economy and all."  
  
"Is the economy bad?" I asked, still a little confused.  
  
Cary shrugged. "Not that I know of. So this is what they're thinking- we get a piece of land and build a factory, and then we recruit people to come and work under me. A few prominent people in the town, including Mr. Hamilton, have offered to put money towards the venture in the form of shares, but I'm going to be the majority shareholder- fifty-five per cent, so that way no decision can be made without my approval. And think of it Melody- we could make a lot more money, build a lot more boats."  
  
"I am thinking about it.." I said slowly. "But what I'm thinking is how exactly are we meant to afford fifty five per cent of a piece of land, a building, and even workers' wages until I get my inheritance when I turn 25 in a few years."  
  
"That's why they're going to back me. When we get the money we repay them, and we're not exactly poor now- our house is worth enough to mortgage-"  
  
"Mortgage our house?" I exclaimed. "Cary I don't know about this. What if something goes wrong and we lose everything?"  
  
"We can't lose everything- we'll have more than enough to cover it. You know perfectly well that the inheritance you're getting is more than enough." Cary argued. "And why do you always assume things aren't going to work out? Do you think I can't do it- be a boss and all?"  
  
"That's not what I meant-" I began but he interrupted, as he pulled into the driveway a little faster than usual making me hold onto the door handle.  
  
"If the businessmen of this town can support me, and trust in me, why can't my own wife?" Cary demanded.  
  
"I didn't say anything like that." I said a little angrily now. "It's just come as a shock, that's all."  
  
We got out of the car and I got Lara while Cary got my bags.  
  
"A shock." He repeated as we went up the stairs to the wraparound porch and front door. "I had hoped it would come as a good one. I thought you would have been proud."  
  
"I am." I said as we went in. "I just have some reservations."  
  
"They'd already found the perfect piece of land." Cary said slowly. "Only a fifteen minute drive so I could even supervise the building and even come home for lunch."  
  
I sighed and went into the lounge room and looked out one of the windows at the ocean nearby. "I just..I'm worried we could lose this place Cary." I admitted.  
  
"We won't." Cary said firmly. "How about before you decide either way you speak to Nelson and to our accountant and then you'll see how safe this venture is?"  
  
"I suppose I could speak to Nelson tomorrow- I've got to ask him about looking after Lara on Saturday anyway." I said with a sigh.  
  
"Trust me though Melody," Cary said, picking up my bags to take them upstairs. "He's going to tell you this is a perfectly safe, and prosperous venture."  
  
I didn't reply. I knew Cary was hurt at my reaction but the whole thing had come as a surprise, and my concern stemmed more from the fact that Cary wasn't a businessman, he was a craftsman. His dream had always been to make boats, and if it meant he could make more boats who was I to crush his dreams? If my grandfather said it was a good idea then I'd agree. Cary came back down.  
  
"Your bags are up in our room. I was thinking I'd go into town to get a pizza- save you cooking." He said.  
  
"That would be good." I said with a sigh. "I certainly don't feel like cooking. Listen, I'll speak to my Grandfather but I think it might be a formality, if you're confident, if this is your dream, then who am I to stand in the way of it?"  
  
"Really?" Cary asked, his eyes lighting up and he hurried over to hug me. "Melody, I swear you won't regret this."  
  
"I better not Cary Logan or you'll be in big trouble." I teased, but he laughed.  
  
"I'll go get the pizzas." He said, and I heard him humming as he went out to the car and smiled. And then my smile faded- was it possible that it was guilt more than anything which made me agree to this proposition? I shook my head, no, it wasn't anything like that- I wanted Cary to be happy! I wanted US to be happy.  
  
*****  
  
"It's actually a brilliant idea." My grandfather told me the next afternoon. "I've been speaking to some of the people who are going in on it, and they're all convinced even with small shares it's going to pay off. Do you know that it's not only here in Provincetown, but on the whole of the Cape itself that there is no factory mass producing boats?"  
  
I was surprised. "You're kidding. I just assumed.."  
  
"We all always have. I think it was Hamilton who first looked into the idea, and then he spoke to Harris and with him being a banker he knew a good deal when he saw it. Honestly Melody you've got nothing to worry about. You don't know how much your inheritance is do you?" My grandfather asked, playing happily with Lara.  
  
I shook my head.  
  
"Let's say it's enough to build three factories."  
  
"Woah." I said, and he laughed.  
  
"See, there's no cause for concern at all Melody." He said.  
  
I sighed with relief. "I'm glad, I couldn't have crushed Cary's dream, but it would have been hard putting all my faith into something if I didn't know it was safe." I said.  
  
My grandfather nodded. "I wonder though.." He muttered.  
  
"Wonder what?" I asked, leaning forward.  
  
"I was wondering whether I'd be around when you got your inheritance. It's still four and a half years down the track." He said.  
  
"Well of course you're going to be around. Where else would you be?" I asked. "Don't tell me Florida."  
  
"Good lord no, I was born on the Cape, and I'll die on the Cape." My grandfather exclaimed, and it was then I got the meaning.  
  
"Don't be silly." I said casually. "You'll be here."  
  
*****  
  
On the way home I stopped at Kenneth and Holly's and we sat around talking about it.  
  
"He's said a few things like that lately." Kenneth said slowly. "I know he's getting on, but he's still senile, still fit.."  
  
"I read somewhere that people always know when their time is coming." Holly said slowly. "Maybe I should consult my crystal ball or my cards-"  
  
"I don't want any hocus pocus telling me my father's old and sick." Kenneth snapped. "I'm going out to my workshop. Excuse me." And he pushed his chair back from the table and stormed out.  
  
"He's feeling guilty." Holly said to me.  
  
"Guilty?" I repeated.  
  
"That he didn't speak to his father for so long." Holly said. "Thank god they're talking now. It would have been a disappointment for young Nelson not to have a grandfather."  
  
"Yeah," I agreed. "I remember when I was convinced I was going to make them talk again-especially after finding out Kenneth was my uncle and Nelson my grandfather. Anyway, I better get going and give Cary the good news- he'll be on pins and needles, I just thought it was best to let you know what Nelson had been saying."  
  
"Thanks."  
  
*****  
  
Cary's reaction shocked me. He picked me up and swung me around before kissing me deeply and passionately. "I love you so much Melody Logan." He declared.  
  
"I love you too." I said, wrapping my arms around his strong back.  
  
"What do you say we go away for a few days to celebrate? Sort of like a second honeymoon?" Cary asked me.  
  
"I think that would be fun." I said.  
  
"How about Saturday?" Cary asked, and I laughed.  
  
"We've got to go to the wedding Cary no matter how much we don't approve of, or don't like, the Jackson's- especially if you're entering this venture. I wouldn't be surprised if Mr. Jackson gets his share. And you're going to need the town's lawyer aren't you?" I replied.  
  
"Good point. I don't like it, but good point." Cary conceded. "Well maybe the weekend after then?"  
  
"Yeah and Lara's never been away on holidays, she'll love it." I said, beginning to get excited.  
  
"Melody, firstly Lara's too young to enjoy a holiday-she's not even crawling yet, and secondly, the purpose of a honeymoon is to be alone with you, my wife." Cary instructed me. "Lara could stay with Ma and May- they'd love it."  
  
"I suppose.." I said slowly. I didn't know why, but for some reason there was something in the back of my mind which made me not want to leave Lara behind. Then I smiled, thinking how stupid I would be to take a baby on a second honeymoon. "You're right- of course. It would make their day to look after Lara. And she'd have a great time too."  
  
"As would we." Cary said.  
  
"Okay, we can leave Lara there." I agreed, ignoring the voice in the back of my mind which was illogically telling me not to agree, to take her with me. I thought perhaps my reluctance was simply because I'd been to New York and left her back here with Cary and I didn't like the idea of leaving her again. But even so, I didn't feel completely comfortable with the plan, but I was determined not to let Cary know. He wanted this holiday to celebrate, and he deserved it. 


	16. The wedding

SIXTEEN:  
  
"This is going to be fun." Cary said sarcastically as we parked our car outside the Jackson's family home. It was a fairly big home, although not as big as some in the area. When we'd dropped Lara off with Nelson Cary had looked as though he would have happily swapped places and been the babysitter.  
  
I smiled slightly and took his hand. In all honesty it wasn't my idea of fun either, but I wanted to see Adam married and settled down. Even though I hadn't seen him in a few months I still felt uncomfortable about his obvious feelings towards me. "Well we can look forward to next weekend." I told him.  
  
Holly and Kenneth were already there, and we quickly hurried over to them. "It looks as though they've invited the entire town." Kenneth commented dryly.  
  
"Why doesn't that surprise me? The Jackson's have always liked to show off their wealth!" Cary grumbled.  
  
"Is he going to be like this all day?" Holly asked me.  
  
"I'd say so." I replied shooting Cary a look which clearly said 'behave.' "Have you seen any of the Jacksons?"  
  
"Just Mr. Jackson Senior." Holly said. "I think Mrs. Jackson and Adam are inside somewhere."  
  
"What about his sister?" I asked. Adam's sister and I have never gotten along, she was a spoilt, rude and snobbish girl.  
  
Holly's eyes lit up as we wandered around to the other side of the house where the wedding was going to be held in the garden. "Well that's actually a bit of a family scandal. She's in Europe and rumors differ as to what she's doing there. Some say she got so out of control the Jackson's sent her to school over there to get her out of their hair. Others say that she's over there for the same reason, but not at school, and that she's found herself a rich old man to look after her, or a rich kid and she's pregnant."  
  
"Well she's certainly been busy." Cary quipped. He took my hand and squeezed it signaling that even though he'd complained about being here, and hadn't wanted to come, he was not going to act like a kid and annoy everyone.  
  
"It's a pity that Sara couldn't come-but I bet she and May are having a great shopping trip." Holly commented. "Actually I think I could do with a nice big shopping trip, couldn't you Melody?"  
  
"Sure." I said with a shrug, glancing at Cary.  
  
"Great." He muttered, but he didn't seem to bothered about it.  
  
"Please could people take a seat, the wedding is going to start." Someone was calling.  
  
We walked over to where the chairs were all set up. At the top there was the altar and a priest, and a gorgeous rose covered arbor for the ceremony to be performed under. Mrs. Jackson and Adam came out then, and Adam went up to the top of the altar while his mother took her seat in the front row. A few men about Adam's age went and stood beside him, obviously his groomsmen. Mr. Jackson came out then, surveying things as he made his way to the front where his wife was waiting for him. He spotted me and smiled happily, but I didn't smile back. I didn't want him to think I'd came because of our family ties, nor because he had wanted me to come. When he'd sat down everyone else was sitting and then the music began and we turned around. A young girl came first, a nervous look on her face as she pulled rose's from her basket scattering them on the aisle. Next came the bridesmaids, and then the bride and her father. I was surprised to see her. I'd always assumed that Adam, being Adam, would only ever have picked the best looking girl he could find, but Francine was not that. She wasn't ugly, that's for sure, but she was plain. It was obvious she was rich and well brought up, but that seemed to be her only appeal. My gaze swung to look up at Adam, who was watching the procession solemnly. I scanned his face, and wasn't surprised to see that there was no real look of love in his eyes.  
  
Francine reached the top and the ceremony began. When it came the time for Adam to speak his vows his voice was firm and loud, but his words sounded wooden to me. Francine, however, spoke like someone who was deeply in love. When the ceremony was over and the groom was allowed to kiss the bride Adam kissed Francine quickly and that was that. They were married.  
  
We all stood as they came back down the aisle, stopping and thanking people. As they reached us I held my breath. But Adam was as smooth and slick as he often was. "Melody, Cary, Holly, Kenneth, thank you for coming." He said, and they moved on.  
  
"That marriage won't last." Holly told me.  
  
"Holly!" Kenneth said shocked. "At least wait an hour before you make dire predictions like that."  
  
"He doesn't even love her. Don't look at me like that Kenneth- I can tell how people in love look, and she looks like she loves him, but he doesn't love her." Holly argued.  
  
Kenneth shook his head and said nothing. At the top of the aisle Mr. Jackson stood and called for our attention. "Ladies and gentlemen, would you please make your way over to the area around the dance floor? Food and drink will be served and we will then have dances, speeches and toasts."  
  
We were following the crowd when there was a tap on my shoulder and I turned around to see Mr. Jackson. Coming face to face with the man I knew was my real father never made me completely comfortable. "Hello." I said.  
  
"I was wondering whether I could have a word with you Melody?" He asked me.  
  
I sighed and then nodded. Holly, Kenneth and Cary went on, while Mr. Jackson and I walked away from the throng of people.  
  
"What did you think of the wedding?" Mr. Jackson asked.  
  
I shrugged. "It was nice. The roses were beautiful."  
  
"And Francine?" Mr. Jackson asked, his eyes on me keenly.  
  
"I don't know." I admitted. "I mean I can't say having not spoken to her too much."  
  
"She loves Adam very much." Mr. Jackson said.  
  
"I got that impression." I replied, not wanting to add that I had also got the impression that Adam's heart wasn't exactly in the marriage one hundred percent.  
  
"If you speak to Adam today, and I have no doubt you will, can you do me a favor?" Mr. Jackson asked.  
  
I raised my eyebrows. "A favor?" I asked slowly.  
  
"You and I both know Melody that Adam's always carried a torch for you, even after he found out you were related. I am sure he's still carrying that torch." Mr. Jackson said.  
  
"That's no fault of mine. I have made it perfectly clear to him on a number of occasions that nothing can ever happen between us, and that I am in love with Cary." I said firmly.  
  
"Oh, I wasn't going to blame you." Mr. Jackson hastened to assure me. "I know how stubborn Adam can be. What I wanted you to do was, if you spoke to him, to tell him how glad you were he was happy and married, and how nice Francine seems, that kind of thing?"  
  
"Mr. Jackson," I said not sure how to respond to this request. "I would say something along those lines anyway, as would everyone."  
  
"But I think it will mean twice as much coming from you." Mr. Jackson argued.  
  
"I better get back to my husband and family." I said, choosing not to answer his question. As if I would say anything stupid when I knew only too well how Adam felt about things.  
  
"What did Mr. Jackson want?" Cary asked when I reached him and the others.  
  
"Oh legal stuff. Telling me he thought your deal with the factory was a great one." I lied casually. I don't know whether or not Cary believed me, but he didn't comment. One thing we didn't talk about in public was who my real father was and what he wanted. "Let's dance." I said deciding that it was more fun to dance than stand around.  
  
"You know how I feel about dancing." Cary complained.  
  
"I know how you feel." I replied, taking his hand and pulling him onto the dance floor. "I just want to let off some steam."  
  
"Your father?" Cary asked.  
  
"None other." I replied. "Sometimes he makes me so damn mad, and I wonder what my mother ever saw in him."  
  
"No offense Melody, but your mother hasn't got the best of taste in men." Cary said.  
  
I laughed, thinking of Archie. "True." I admitted. "But he just gets under my skin sometimes. The whole Jackson family do. His wife knows about me know, and what happened and every time I see her in town she looks at me as though I'm a piece of mud having the audacity to dirty her expensive rugs. As if it were my fault that her husband had an affair."  
  
"I could care less what the Jackson's think of me." Cary said airily. "And after the way some of them have treated you, you should be exactly the same."  
  
We returned to Holly and Kenneth and all got a drink. Kenneth was unusually quiet, but it turned out he was thinking about a new art project he was anxious to start. And not surprisingly it revolved around his son. "He's just got the perfect face to sculpt." Kenneth explained.  
  
Holly laughed. "He's only saying that because people tell him Nelson takes after him."  
  
We all laughed including Kenneth, and then we went and sat at a table with our drinks, some of us, myself included, mentally wishing the night was over.  
  
*****  
  
"Can I have your attention please?" Mr. Jackson called over the noise.  
  
The music had stopped and it was clear it was finally time for the speeches. We were all ready to go, but we knew it was rude to leave too early. Firstly Mr. Jackson spoke about how he knew Adam and Francine would be very happy together, and then Francine's Dad made a similar speech. Then Adam thanked everyone for coming and celebrating the most important day of his life, and that was about it. I got up, but before I could move too far I saw Adam's eyes boring into mine. He hurried over. "Don't tell me you were leaving."  
  
"Well we were actually. We've got to pick Lara up from Judge Childs'." I replied.  
  
"But we haven't had a dance yet." Adam said.  
  
"Sorry." I said.  
  
"Just a quick one." Adam asked, his eyes staring into mine.  
  
"Look, I really-" I began, but he interrupted me.  
  
"Are you telling me you're not going to have a dance with me on my wedding day? The happiest day of my life?" He demanded.  
  
Put like that I had trouble saying no, and I was unhappily led out to the dance floor. He put his arms around my waist, and reluctantly I put my arms around him, but when he tried to pull me closer I resisted. He wasn't pleased, but he didn't say anything about it. In fact for most of the song we danced in silence, my eyes meeting Cary's over Adam.  
  
"So did you think it was a good wedding?" Adam asked.  
  
"Yes it was lovely. Francine planned it wonderfully. She seems like a very lovely woman." I said automatically.  
  
Adam snorted. "Are you blind? She's not exactly gorgeous, but she loves me, and it was a good match moneywise."  
  
Part of me wanted to tell him that was a terrible reason to marry someone, but the other part of me remembered Mr. Jackson's request. So I said nothing.  
  
"It would have been a lot nicer if it were you and me getting married." He said, somewhat plaintively.  
  
I forgot my conversation with Mr. Jackson then. "You know perfectly well that could never happen, we're related Adam-"  
  
"-Only half." He argued.  
  
"Half's more than enough. And I happen to be very happily married to Cary, and we've got Lara and we're happy. And hopefully you'll be happy with Francine." I said wishing the song would end.  
  
"Francine." Adam spat out her name. "Do you know she doesn't like sex? When we're having sex I have to think of you to-"  
  
"ADAM!" I hissed. "That's terrible. And telling me-"  
  
"Lara could have been ours." Adam said interrupting me again. "She's a cute baby. I think I might pretend that secretly she's mine."  
  
"That's it." I said pushing away from him. "I think you've got some serious mental problems Adam Jackson, and you know what? I'm glad we're not together, because I don't think I could have coped with this. And I think it's really unfair of you to be saying, and thinking, things like that about Francine, when she's clearly devoted to you."  
  
"Not devoted enough to enjoy sex." Adam argued.  
  
"That's not my problem. That's yours and hers. I've got to go." I said, and as I said it the song ended and there was no other excuse for me to stay there and talk to him. "Try and be happy with her Adam or else you're always going to be unhappy."  
  
He didn't respond, and I hurried back over to where Cary was waiting for me. "Holly and Kenneth have gone, although we'll probably see them at the judge's."  
  
"Right. Let's get out of here." I replied and we hurried to the car, with Cary matching my fast pace silently. It wasn't until we were in the car and on our way that he asked whether Adam had said something to upset me.  
  
I thought about it for a moment. I hadn't told Cary that since Adam and I had broken up he'd always tried to convince me to go back to him, even after he knew we were related. I hadn't even told Cary about it after I saw him in town the other month. "Not really, just being his usual obnoxious self."  
  
"I bet you wished you'd listened to me when I warned you about him before you started seeing him." Cary said nodding to himself.  
  
"Isn't that the truth." I replied. Of course Cary had no idea how much of the truth it was. And I wasn't going to upset him by telling him that Adam didn't seem to see a half sister relationship as getting in the way of another type of relationship, even when he was married.  
  
I decided to put Adam out of my mind. He hadn't bothered me in a long time, and I didn't think he would much anymore. After all, like it or not, he was a married man now, and he had certain responsibilities. 


	17. Happiness and horror

[A/N. I can't believe that I am already up to this chapter, and that means there is only a few left. This was only going to be a short chapter, but it turned out to be a lot longer than I was planning. Anyway, enjoy.]  
  
SEVENTEEN:  
  
"Don't forget she likes that pink teddy when she's sleeping, and if she cries about going to-" I began.  
  
"Melody, I've raised three children, I know how to look after a baby." Aunt Sara interrupted me.  
  
"Sorry, it's just the first time she's been left without both her parents for a few days." I said with a quick laugh. For some reason I couldn't shake off my worried feelings even though I knew Lara was going to be perfectly fine and perfectly happy with Aunt Sara and May.  
  
May signed to us that she was going to look after Lara well, and pretend she was her own baby.  
  
Cary frowned slightly and signed back to her "Have you still been seeing that Tommy?"  
  
May shrugged and signed back "None of your business."  
  
Cary's frown deepened and I pulled him towards the car before he could begin to act all big brother on her. May was certainly old enough to make up her own mind about things now.  
  
"Have a good holiday!" Aunt Sara called as she held Lara's hand up to wave as we got in the car. "And don't worry about anything. Lara's in perfectly safe hands."  
  
Even as we drove away I was turning around in my seat looking back towards Lara. Cary had noticed this, as well as my fussing about the whole thing.  
  
"What's the deal? Are you worried about leaving Lara with Ma and May?" He asked me.  
  
"I'm not worried about leaving her with them specifically, just worried about leaving her. I know this is going to sound really stupid Cary but I've got a bad feeling about this." I tried to explain. But Cary was a typical person from the Cape- down to earth and practical, and he couldn't understand my concerns.  
  
"If you're going to worry about her the whole weekend it's not going to be much of a holiday is it?" He asked me. "Should we just go back?"  
  
"No!" I hastened to assure him. "I'll be fine, don't worry."  
  
"I hope so." Cary replied. "You're going to love the hotel I've found."  
  
I smiled. He'd been the one to plan the entire trip, refusing to give me even a slight clue about it, and now seeing the happy and excited look in his eyes I knew there was no way I could ruin things for him. I was going to have to put my silly thoughts out of my head for the duration of the trip. As we drove along we talked about the factory, and Cary was very enthusiastic in his plans.  
  
"When it's built and ready to go we're going to have to recruit some of the more talented carpenters and builders from all over the place, offer them attractive rates and packages so they can't refuse. We need the best if we're going to train younger people to be the best too." Cary explained. "And it's going to be called Logan's boats. And every boat we make is going to have that written on the back of it so that if it goes to say California people there will see the name."  
  
I smiled again. "I don't think I've ever seen you so excited." I said.  
  
"I don't know," Cary said slowly. "I can think of two distinct times where I was pretty excited and happy."  
  
"You can?" I was confused.  
  
"The day we got married, and the day Lara was born." Cary replied and I laughed and agreed they were two pretty good days for me too.  
  
We'd been driving for about two hours up the coast before Cary stopped. And when he did stop it was in front of a charming house on the beach which had the sign "Betty's Bed and Breakfast" on it. He hurried to open my door for me and collect the bags and then we walked up the steps to the front door. Cary explained that in some ways it was just like Provincetown, but in others it wasn't- like the fact that nobody knew us up here and we were alone. Betty, the woman who ran the place, was English and lovely. She explained, as she showed us to our rooms that she used to run a B&B in England before she and her late husband moved out here and so after he died she decided to do so again because it would help with money and she knew the job. And know the job she did- our room was charming and cozy. There was a fire laid, but not set, and the room was decorated in whites and blues which made it look perfect for the seaside. I complimented Betty on the room and she smiled. "Thanks dear." She said. "Tea will be served at six thirty."  
  
I walked over to the window as Betty left and looked outside. The view was similar to being back home, but like Cary said the big difference was that we were alone.  
  
"Well?" Cary asked, a note of anxiety in his voice.  
  
"I think it's great, and we're going to have a great time." I replied, turning back to face him.  
  
He smiled and held out his arms to me and I hurried into them. He lowered his face and kissed me softly.  
  
*****  
  
"How was your day dears?" Betty asked the next afternoon as we arrived home just before dinnertime. In the morning we'd spent some time in town, and then we'd taken a picnic lunch and borrowed the house's boat. We'd found a secluded beach and had a nice meal and relaxed.  
  
"It was wonderful." I told her. "And that picnic lunch was even better. You're a great cook Betty. I wish I could cook half as well."  
  
"You cook great." Cary protested, putting an arm around me. "Except for that lasagna the other night-"  
  
"I got distracted by Lara." I argued. "Speaking of Lara, should I perhaps phone Aunt Sara before dinner and see how she's going?"  
  
"And let her think you're checking up on her?" Cary asked.  
  
"I can't help but worry." I said, and then I explained to Betty that it was the first time we'd left her alone and she was only a few months old.  
  
"I know the feeling dear, but it's good for children to spend time with other people." Betty replied.  
  
"Do you have children?" I asked.  
  
"Two. My son is still in England, and my daughter lives in California." Betty replied. "We write and we phone, but I sometimes wish they were a lot closer so I could see them more often. And Sandy, my girl, has recently had another child so that makes it even harder. She could probably do with her mother's help now, as you no doubt know."  
  
I smiled slightly and nodded, not about to tell her I wasn't speaking to my mother, and in fact, had no idea where she was at that moment.  
  
"Anyway dears, you go and freshen up before tea. I've made my famous pasta." Betty said.  
  
Cary and I went upstairs and I jumped quickly in the shower since I had sand in my clothes. As I was getting changed for dinner Cary was lying on the bed. "Are you sure we shouldn't call Aunt Sara?" I asked.  
  
Cary sighed and sat up. "Melody, why are you worried about Lara?"  
  
"I'm not." I said as casually as I could.  
  
"I know you said you wouldn't worry about her before we left, and you haven't exactly said you're worried, but I've had the impression that she's been on your mind the whole time we've been here. I'm telling you Melody, she'll be fine." Cary said.  
  
I hurried over to sit next to him. "I'm sorry sweetie, I've tried to keep her out of my mind, but I've got a feeling something terrible is going to happen to her." I tried to explain again.  
  
"Like what?" Cary demanded.  
  
"I don't know." I admitted. "It's just been bugging me."  
  
"You sound like Holly with her psychic premonitions- only they never come true, and nor is this." Cary said, with a slight smile on his face.  
  
"I haven't ruined the trip have I?" I asked anxiously.  
  
"No." Cary assured me, putting his arms around me and drawing me closer to him. "You haven't. Stop worrying about her though. Ma and May are probably spoiling her rotten right now."  
  
I laughed. "That's for sure. May looked like all her Christmases had come at once when we asked her about babysitting."  
  
"I don't like that Tommy guy. Did you see the way she changed the subject when I asked her about him?" Cary said, frowning.  
  
I rolled my eyes as I stood up and tied my hair back in a simple ponytail. "You know the deal Cary- May's almost an adult, and what she does is her business. In a year or two she'll be able to go to college for heavens sake."  
  
Cary stood up too. "Sometimes it seems hard to believe that she's grown up so much."  
  
"I know. I remember her when I first came to the Cape, she was just a kid then." I said as we went downstairs for dinner.  
  
"So were you." Cary teased me and I hit him.  
  
****  
  
The next morning we were woken by a frantic knocking on our bedroom door. I sat up groggily and called "Who is it?"  
  
"It's me Betty, Mrs. Logan." Betty called. "I'm sorry to wake you before breakfast but there's a telephone call for you and it sounds important."  
  
I was wide awake in an instant, and I uncurled myself from Cary's arms as he woke up. "What's going on?"  
  
"Telephone. Betty thinks it's important." I said as I pulled on my dressing gown.  
  
Cary jumped up too and pulled on jeans and he and I hurried downstairs to the phone. Betty was waiting for us and she shot us worried looks as I picked up the receiver. Out of the corner of my eye I saw her discretely leave the room.  
  
"Melody?" Aunt Sara was asking.  
  
"What's wrong?" I asked, my heart in my chest. Beside me Cary gripped my hand tightly.  
  
"It's Lara." Aunt Sara said, and I felt as though the air had left my lungs as I croaked out a question as to what was wrong with her?  
  
"She's gone." Aunt Sara said, her voice hoarse. "I woke up this morning and she was gone."  
  
I couldn't speak anymore so I handed the phone over to Cary. "Ma? What's wrong with Lara?"  
  
Aunt Sara must have repeated what she'd said to me because Cary frowned. "What do you mean gone?"  
  
I didn't hear Aunt Sara's response but I heard Cary's. "Have you been searching for her Ma? Have you called the police?"  
  
Again I didn't hear Aunt Sara's response, but Cary told her to call them and report Lara missing since babies who can't even crawl properly don't just disappear. And then, he added, call Kenneth and Holly and get them to help.  
  
"Tell her we're coming home right away." I said, tugging on Cary's arm. He nodded at me and repeated the words to Aunt Sara.  
  
I turned and went to tell Betty what had happened. My voice broke as I explained that Lara was missing. Someone must have taken her as she couldn't have left by herself. She was shocked and upset to hear the news. "I suppose you'll be starting back for home?"  
  
"Right away. We'll go and pack and then we'll pay you for everything." I explained.  
  
"You can't start without having something to eat. You need to keep your strength up." Betty said.  
  
"I don't think I'll be able to eat." I argued but Betty wasn't having any of it.  
  
"I'll make you some coffee and even if you just have a piece of toast." She said. "I'll make it while you pack so it will only take you a few extra moments to eat."  
  
True enough twenty minutes later we were on the road.  
  
"There's got to be some simple explanation." Cary said, pounding the steering wheel as we sped along.  
  
"Like what?" I asked.  
  
"I don't know." He admitted.  
  
I was silent thinking about my fears for Lara before we'd even left for our holiday. And then I remembered what Holly had said when she was reading my cards what seemed like a lifetime ago: that I had fears about Lara, and that there was lies and mistrust and I might have to deal with a difficult opponent, but I needed to fight for what I believed in. Did that have anything to do with Lara's disappearance? 


	18. The search begins

[A/N. I made this chapter smaller for two reasons: 1) the next chapter could be a long one, and 2) I didn't want to reveal who it was or wasn't in this chapter, I wanted that to be in the last chapter. I wonder whether anyone can work out who it was?!? I think it is pretty obvious, but then that's because I know who I am planning on it being. Cheers.]  
  
EIGHTEEN:  
  
The drive back to Provincetown was a mainly silent one. On a few occasions either Cary or I would speak. "Where could she be?" But the other one would have no answers. We couldn't imagine where she could be, nor who had taken her. "I don't think we have any enemies.." Cary mused on one occasion. "I don't think so either." I replied, wracking my brains for who it could be.  
  
We arrived back in Provincetown in what I was sure was record time. Out the front of Aunt Sara's place were a few cars; Holly and Kenneth, the Judge, and a police car. Cary and I raced inside. Aunt Sara was sitting on the couch in hysterics. As we entered she was saying "...it's not like I wasn't looking after her. I mean I didn't expect someone to come and get her in the middle of the night."  
  
"Ma." Cary called and she looked up, her eyes bloodshot from crying.  
  
"Cary, Melody.I'm sorry, please don't blame me." She cried, as Cary raced to her side. He knelt down and put his arms around her.  
  
"Oh Ma, of course we don't blame you, how could we?" He assured her. "Now, has anyone got any idea where the hell my daughter is?" He straightened up and looked at the people who were assembled.  
  
Holly came to my side. "Are you all right?" She asked me.  
  
"As all right as I could be considering the circumstances." I said, brushing my hair from my face. "I just don't understand how this could have happened."  
  
There were two police officers in the room and one stepped forward. "You're the parents I assume?"  
  
I nodded.  
  
"Well we'll need to get some information from you. We've got officers out looking now, but to be honest Mr. and Mrs. Logan, we don't know who we're looking for. Do either of you have any idea who could have taken your baby?" He asked.  
  
"We were talking about this in the car obviously," I said slowly. "But neither of us could come up with someone who could do this."  
  
"Well the thing is Mrs. Logan, people don't normally just abduct babies for no reason." The police officer said, chewing on the end of his pen. "And more importantly, it had to be someone who knew she was here."  
  
"Well a lot of people knew we were going away.." I offered. "But like I said, we can't think of anyone who would want to take Lara."  
  
"I'm afraid that doesn't help us much." The police officer said with a sigh, putting the pen back into his pocket.  
  
"I'm sorry." I snapped. "But we don't have enemies, we don't have people who hate us..."  
  
"What my wife means is that there isn't anyone who comes to mind." Cary said firmly. "And if that doesn't help you, we're sorry. But we've had a terrible shock, and we don't need to be treated as though we're impeding your investigation or something."  
  
I looked at Cary in shock and admiration. He'd said exactly what I was trying to say.  
  
The police officer nodded. "Right. Well we'll get back to the office and see how the search is going. Please contact us if you come up with any more information. And the officers are still checking the room where Lara was for fingerprints and doors so please don't get in their way."  
  
The two of them left and I glared at their retreating backs. "They're acting like we know something but don't want to tell them. If we knew something don't you think we'd tell them for god's sake." I asked angrily. And then my anger left me in a rush, and I started to cry. "Who did this?"  
  
Cary hurried to embrace me. "It's okay sweetie, we'll get her back." He assured me, but I didn't know how he could be so confident.  
  
I noticed that Kenneth and my grandfather had not spoken and I looked over at where they were sitting. Kenneth was holding Nelson on his lap, and my grandfather was holding onto Nelson's hand. "What do you think?" I asked them through my tears.  
  
Kenneth looked uncomfortable. "Melody, I know you're not going to like this, but clearly you do have an enemy somewhere. A stranger wouldn't just decided to come and take Lara."  
  
I knew he was right, but I didn't know who my enemy was. "A wolf in sheep's clothing." I said.  
  
"Huh?" Cary looked confused.  
  
"Our enemy is obviously someone who hasn't shown their true colors if we can't think of them. In other words it's probably someone we think is our friend." I explained to him.  
  
Cary swore under his breath, earning him a dirty look from Aunt Sara which he ignored, and sat on the sofa. "That could be almost anyone in the town."  
  
I felt my heart skip a beat. Could it possibly be someone else, someone who didn't live here?  
  
"I feel like we should be doing something, not just sitting round doing nothing." I said.  
  
"What can we do?" Cary asked.  
  
"We could look for her!" I snapped.  
  
"That's what the police are doing Melody, and they're trained to do it." Cary argued. He was slumped on the sofa and he looked as though he was exhausted.  
  
"Fine." I said. "You stay here and wonder where she is, but I am going to look for her."  
  
"I'll come with you." Holly said, putting a hand on my shoulder. "I know it's probably not much good, but it's better than sitting around doing nothing."  
  
"We'll stay here with Cary and Sara." My grandfather said. "And if there's any news we'll get the police to find you."  
  
A sudden thought occurred to me. "Where's May?"  
  
"Up in her room." Aunt Sara said. "I think she's devastated about this, and feels like it's her fault."  
  
"Can you wait a moment Holly?" I asked, and she nodded.  
  
I went upstairs and slowly opened May's door. She was sitting on her bed, staring into nowhere. Her eyes were as bloodshot as Aunt Sara's and her face was so pale it was almost gray. She must have noticed me out of the corner of her eyes, or sensed me there because she blinked and focussed on me. "I'm sorry." She signed. "I am so sorry."  
  
"Why do you think it's your fault?" I signed.  
  
"I was meant to be looking after her, and I let her get taken!" May signed back hastily.  
  
"Listen May, I want you to understand this okay?" I signed slowly so she'd be sure to get every word. "If someone wanted to take Lara they would have done so regardless of where she was, be it here, or at our house. In no way whatsoever is this your fault! Do you understand me?"  
  
She sighed and signed "Okay."  
  
"Now, how about going downstairs? Aunt Sara is a mess and we don't want her to get too upset all right?" I signed.  
  
May nodded and jumped off the bed. If there was one thing she loved more than Lara it was Aunt Sara, and like Cary and I she knew perfectly well that there were things which could send Aunt Sara over the edge. As she got up I hugged her tightly and quickly and we both went downstairs together. May raced to her mother's side, and Holly and I left.  
  
"So what's the deal?" Holly demanded.  
  
"Deal?" I asked.  
  
"You've got something on your mind..do you know who took Lara?" Holly asked.  
  
"I've got an idea." I replied grimly, as we got in the car. I put it into gear and pulled away fast. "And let's just hope I'm right." 


	19. A happy ending

[A/N. This chapter is a lot longer than I had intended, and I'm sorry. Enjoy anyway, as I've only got the prologue to go after this.]  
  
NINETEEN:  
  
"Where are we going?" Holly asked, as I drove towards town.  
  
"I want to go to the hotel, see whether anyone in particular has checked in there." I replied.  
  
I swerved past a car which was going too slow, and Holly grabbed hold of the door. "Are you going to tell me who?" She asked.  
  
"Marina, Billy's girlfriend." I replied shortly. "She was pretty upset about things at the hospital, pretty bitter. She was telling me about the accident, and she said it was my fault because they were arguing over me. And then when he spoke to me and not to her she said she hated me, she really hated me."  
  
"Geez." Holly muttered. "But do you think she'd stoop this low?"  
  
"It makes sense." I said, and we reached the town so I slowed down a fraction. "One of the things I remember was her saying she'd never have a husband and daughter now, which isn't entirely true, she can still get married. And let me tell you if she's got my daughter I'm going to kill her."  
  
"Or you could let the police handle it." Holly said slowly. "Melody, if she's there, if she's got your daughter, think before you do anything. Think carefully. I've never seen you like this, so angry.."  
  
"If it were Nelson you'd be the same." I assured her. "You don't realise things until you're a parent, but one of the most important things is not your own wellbeing, but your child's."  
  
"Are you ever going to tell Cary about Lara?" Holly asked as I pulled up at the hotel and jumped out of the car.  
  
"I don't know." I said, shrugging. I didn't want to think about that at the moment. "I guess one day I'll have to because one day Lara will need to know who she is."  
  
We hurried into the hotel, and to the desk. "I need to see the register." I cried.  
  
"I beg your pardon?" The hotel clerk looked at me like I was crazy. The truth was I probably did look kind of crazy, my hair all messed and my eyes wide.  
  
"I need to see the register. There's a woman she could be here and we think she's taken my baby." I explained, but my explanation didn't do anything for the clerk.  
  
"Sorry Madam, but that's not permitted. Privacy and all that." He said, glancing at Holly who was standing beside me.  
  
"Come on Melody, we can ca-" Holly began taking my hand, but I shrugged it off and leant over the desk.  
  
"Listen to me you prick, if that bitch has taken my baby-" I yelled and he backed away.  
  
"I'm going to call the police." He said.  
  
"Please do." Holly muttered. "Melody, come on, we'll sit over here and wait for the police."  
  
Giving the hotel clerk a dirty look I allowed her to help me over to sit down.  
  
*****  
  
"I'm sorry Mrs. Logan, but we've checked in every room. She's not here, and your baby isn't here either." The police officer who had responded to the call said to me softly.  
  
I slumped in the seat feeling sick. I'd been so sure of it or else I wouldn't have rushed off and left Cary alone. And now that I knew there was nothing, and I felt empty.  
  
"Come on Melody, let's get back to Sara's." Holly said gently, and I nodded mutely. Would I ever see my beloved daughter again? We walked out to the car just as the heavens opened and the rain fell. I stood there for a moment, not caring about the rain until Holly's voice broke into my trance.  
  
"Melody, come on." She called.  
  
I hurried over to the car, refusing Holly's offers to drive. We got in and started back towards Sara's. "Holly, do you remember what the cards said when you read them for me a few months back?" I asked her.  
  
Holly's eyes widened. "Lara. It was about Lara wasn't it?"  
  
"Do you think maybe the cards, or your crystal ball would help us find her?" I asked.  
  
Holly looked thoughtful. "I don't know, maybe. But we better not tell Kenneth or Cary." She said. "I guess anything's worth a try."  
  
I made a turn which would take me towards her place and as we drove along I noticed my real father's car parked in front of his office, as well as Adam's and shook my head. "Adam's back from his honeymoon already?" I asked making conversation but not really caring.  
  
"Francine was sick apparently. I heard about it in town." Holly said with a shrug. "I don't know maybe it was something more like they weren't enjoying it."  
  
I raised an eyebrow. "Perhaps. I feel sorry for her."  
  
"I don't know," Holly said with a sigh. "I mean she did chose to marry him didn't she? Surely she must have realised he wasn't in love with her? Personally I think it's something along the lines of him being in love with someone else."  
  
I felt my heart skip a beat. "What?" I asked.  
  
"That's just the impression I get, that Adam Jackson is carrying one huge torch for someone else." Holly explained.  
  
I didn't comment. Holly didn't know about Adam and I, and especially about his continuing feelings for me, but nonetheless her comments rocked me. And I thought about the wedding and what Adam had said to me: "Lara could have been ours. She's a cute baby. I think I might pretend that secretly she's mine."  
  
I braked suddenly, the breaks squealing in protest, and the tyres screeching on the road as I turned around and headed back towards town.  
  
"For gods sake Melody!" Holly cried. "Where are you going?"  
  
"I've worked it out." I replied. "Marina was just a distraction, this time I know for sure. Call it mother's instinct."  
  
"Okay, who has her?" Holly asked, giving me the impression she was simply humoring me.  
  
"Adam Jackson." I said firmly.  
  
"ADAM?" Holly cried. "Why on earth would Adam have Lara?"  
  
As I drove I related the entire story of the relationship, or lack of it, between Adam and myself and Holly's eyes grew wide.  
  
"God! I'm surprised you haven't said something before." Holly said, shaking her head. "He's seriously screwed up."  
  
"You're telling me." I said softly.  
  
We drove towards the Jackson's house in grim silence, both of us in our own world. I couldn't believe that it hadn't been obvious from the very start after the way Adam had acted in the past, and then more recently his comment at the wedding. We pulled up in front of the Jackson house. "Can you wait here? If I don't come back out in ten minutes can you please call the police? Take my car if you have to." I said, as I got out.  
  
"Are you sure you don't want me to come in?" Holly offered, but I shook my head. This was something I had to do myself. I straightened up and hurried up the walkway, ignoring the rain still falling fairly heavily. As I raced up something caught my eye and I looked up. Someone ducked away from the window behind the curtain and I smiled grimly. At least my appearance hadn't gone unnoticed. I banged on the doorway and it was a few minutes before it was opened by one of the maids, a small Latino woman. "Yes?" She asked curtly.  
  
"I want to see Adam, or Francine." I said.  
  
"Francine sick, Adam busy, sorry." She said, starting to close the door but I stuck my foot in the way and it wouldn't close.  
  
"I don't think you understand. I want to see them. NOW!" I snapped.  
  
She looked taken aback by my reaction. "But they say no. They say no let her in." She said in broken English.  
  
I frowned. "Me? Not to let me in? Sorry, I don't want to get you into trouble, but I'm coming in." I said firmly, and I pushed the door open. The small woman backed away from me, looking scared.  
  
"Where are they?" I asked.  
  
"Upstairs." She whispered.  
  
"Thank you." I said giving her a brief smile. It wasn't her fault she'd been told not to let me in. I started up the red carpeted staircase determined.  
  
"I'm sorry, but you're not welcome in this house." Francine said, and she appeared at the top of the stairs. She was dressed neatly in slacks and a blouse and she was staring at me almost with hate.  
  
"Really?" I asked, continuing up. "You don't look too sick."  
  
"Sick?" She looked confused.  
  
"That's why you came back from your honeymoon wasn't it? You were sick?" I asked, as I reached the top.  
  
"I am, but I'm getting better." Francine replied. "Don't take a step further."  
  
"Or what?" I asked.  
  
"Please don't do this." She said, and all of a sudden she looked weak and scared, and not as though she hated me. "Please."  
  
"Where's Lara?" I asked firmly.  
  
"I don't know what you're talking about." She said, but she didn't look me in the eyes.  
  
"Where's Adam?" I asked, beginning to get annoyed.  
  
"He's busy." She said slowly.  
  
"Don't make me do something I'll regret." I threatened her.  
  
"I..you don't know what he's like." Francine said. "I always thought he loved me, and when we got married things would get better, but do you know what? He doesn't even sleep in the same room as me. He sleeps in his own room, and tells people it's because he snores and doesn't want to disturb me all night. And do you know what? In his room he keeps a photo of you in his top draw and he takes it out at night."  
  
I shook my head. "I'm sorry." I said, and I was, but at that moment I didn't care so much. All I wanted was my daughter. "But please Francine, do what you know is right."  
  
Francine sighed and turned and pointed towards the right. "Third room on the left." She said, and then she turned and walked the other way before I could even thank her.  
  
I didn't knock, just barged into the room. Adam must have assumed I was Francine because he didn't turn around. "Did you get rid of her? Thank god, and did you ask the maid to get more diapers?" He asked.  
  
"No on both counts." I said, and he turned around in a flash.  
  
"Melody!" He cried.  
  
"Adam." I mimicked.  
  
"How are you?" He asked, glancing behind him.  
  
"Better now. What are you doing with her Adam?" I asked.  
  
"Doing with who?" He asked.  
  
"Move." I snapped, and I started to go past him, but he grabbed my arm and squeezed it.  
  
"I don't believe you were invited into this house." He said coldly.  
  
"I don't care. I'd let me take Lara, or Holly will go for the police any moment." I said.  
  
He didn't say anything, nor did he move. He just stood there staring at me and I began to feel uncomfortable. "Adam, please, just give me Lara and nothing will come of this." I begged.  
  
"Do you have any idea how much I love you?" Adam demanded, ignoring my question.  
  
"Adam we can't be together, and you know it. It would be wrong. Taking my child is not going to achieve anything is it?" I asked.  
  
"It brought you here didn't it?" Adam argued, with a smirk on his face which I itched to slap off.  
  
"Can I please just see her?" I asked, not sure what to do or say, but knowing I had to see her.  
  
He stepped out of the way and there was Lara. She was lying on the bed gurgling to herself, and I cried out involuntarily and she looked up. Even though she was only a baby I knew she recognised me because a smile lit up her face. "Lara, baby." I said, and I went to pick her up, but Adam grabbed my arm again.  
  
"I said you could see her I didn't say you could touch her." He snapped, and I glared at him.  
  
"This is illegal Adam, she's my baby and I'm taking her home." I snapped back, now beginning to lose my temper with the whole thing.  
  
"You're not going anywhere." Adam said smoothly.  
  
"This is ridiculous." I said shaking my head. "Are you insane?"  
  
"If I am it's because of you. You drive me insane Melody. I know you wanted me once, and now you can have me and you don't want me." Adam shook his head. "You're nothing but a tease."  
  
"For god's sake!" I yelled. "Get a grip Adam, we're related. That would be incest."  
  
"I told you we could go away, and nobody would ever know we were related." He argued.  
  
"It's not possible Adam, sorry." I said. "Just let me take Lara."  
  
"Not before I get what I've been wanting for a long time." Adam said and he gazed down at my body. Even in my jeans and sweater I felt overexposed. I crossed my arms across my chest.  
  
"Adam that's not going to happen." I said, hoping my voice didn't convey my concern. "For god's sake you're married, I'm married, we're related, and your wife's just down the hall."  
  
"Wife." Adam spat. "I married her because I was being pressured to marry. She's a nice girl, does her duty by me when I require it, but no more. She's not like you. You've got fire and passion." His grip tightened on my arm and I knew it was going to leave bruises, but I didn't want him to know how scared I was.  
  
"Adam, Holly's probably on her way to get the police right now." I warned, but he didn't seem to care.  
  
"I love you." He said, and he bent his mouth down and crushed his lips on me before I could protest. With my free hand I beat at him angrily. With his free hand he tried to undo my jeans, and I squirmed. I was beginning to have trouble breathing because he wasn't letting me breath.  
  
"ADAM!" Someone yelled and Adam broke away from me. My real father was standing in the doorway in horror. I moved as far away from Adam as possible and wiped at my mouth.  
  
"Dad, what are you doing at home?" Adam asked.  
  
"It's my house." Mr. Jackson snapped. "I should be asking you what you're doing. No wonder you kept me out of this wing the last two days."  
  
"How did you know?" Adam asked, looking defeated.  
  
"It doesn't matter how I knew." Mr. Jackson said, and he glanced at me. I knew then Francine had gone and rang him and he'd come racing back. "What matters is you've just abducted a child, attempted to rape a woman.." He trailed off not sure what to say. I took the opportunity to grab Lara and hold her tightly to me.  
  
"Melody, are you all right?" Mr. Jackson asked me and I nodded.  
  
"If you don't press charges I promise this will be dealt with." Mr. Jackson said, and I hesitated. Part of me wanted to see Adam pay for this, but the other part of me had already been through enough in just that day to last me a lifetime. Sensing my indecision Mr. Jackson pressed his advantage. "We can make up a story, and Holly will surely agree. She was just about to leave when I returned home. Perhaps we could say I found Lara abandoned somewhere and gave her back to you. I know it's flimsy but the police aren't going to disbelieve me."  
  
I sighed and glanced over at Adam. His head was drooped, and he was staring at the carpet, not looking anything like his usual handsome self. "I'll agree to that on one condition." I said.  
  
Mr. Jackson nodded. "Anything."  
  
"You promise me this time Adam really won't come anywhere near me ever again. I don't want him within a mile of me, or my baby." I said coldly.  
  
Mr. Jackson looked over at Adam and nodded. "I swear." He promised me and I nodded now.  
  
"I want to get Lara back to her family." I said. And then I rushed out of the room without another word, and behind me I heard Mr. Jackson yelling at Adam. As I was on my way down the stairs I sensed someone looking at me and I turned around. Francine was standing there.  
  
"Thank you." I said. "If you ever have children you'll understand how I felt."  
  
She simply nodded and I hurried from the house. I let Holly drive back to Aunt Sara's because I didn't want to let go of Lara. I felt as though I was never going to let go of her again. Needless to say everyone back at Aunt Sara's was delighted to see Lara again, even if they may have been skeptical about the story Mr. Jackson and I had decided on. 


	20. Epilogue

EPILOGUE:  
  
Over the next few months things slowly began to get back to normal. I got the impression that Cary wasn't completely sure about my flimsy excuse for what had happened to Lara, but he didn't push it. I suppose he figured if I ever wanted to tell him I would. Plus he was busy with work on the new factory which was going full steam ahead. He'd often spend hours down on the building site and come home with details about what was going on. I'd listen with a slight smile- it seemed as though finally things had worked out for us. And as for Lara, well I was beginning to let her out of my sight again, but not for long. Aunt Sara had gotten over her fears that she was the one responsible for Lara's abduction, and May spent quite a lot of her spare time at our place with Lara- that was when she wasn't spending it with Tommy.  
  
There were only some dark days. The first was when I saw Adam in town one day. I gathered Lara tighter to me and turned and walked away in the other direction, my heart hammering in my breast in case he had followed me. But he didn't. Clearly his father had convinced him to leave me alone, which was the only thing I had to be grateful to Mr. Jackson for. The others were when I saw the judge, my grandfather. He was growing ever weaker and we knew that if he survived another year it would be a miracle, but he was not fussed about it. "Most of my friends, and my dear wife, are already up there waiting for me." He told me philosophically. "So to me death is not the end, but the next adventure."  
  
One day I was sitting with Lara and I looked at her carefully- to me her heritage was glaringly obvious, but only Holly and I knew about that for the time being. It hadn't escaped me that I'd have to tell her one day, and by extension also Cary, and I wasn't looking forward to that day, but it was the least I could do for Billy, a nice, unselfish man who had died too young.  
  
For the moment though, I wanted to preserve the calm harmony which had settled over our lives at last. The future would come when it was ready. 


	21. A final note from the author

A/N.  
  
Well that's it for "The Lark's Lullaby." If you read my first story in the series, "The Blackbird's Ballad" I hope you enjoyed this story as much as the first one. There were times when I was stuck for what to write, as I had the basic plot in my mind and I wanted to have the same amount of chapters as in the first story, so there were a few chapters somewhere in the middle which were not part of the plan, but still got written.  
  
I want to thank everyone for reading it and reviewing, and of course, if you didn't review that's fine and I hope you liked it regardless.  
  
Soon I will begin book three of four in the series called "The Oriole's Opera."  
  
Cheers,  
  
Aims. 


End file.
